The Dragon and the Clam
by Wragnaroq
Summary: Tsuna, at sixteen, is officially appointed the Vongola Decimo. Now he must deal with an age old enemy of the Vongola: the Dragone. 27K main. Minor others. HET. Rated for violence and swearing. Set in a universe where the TYL arc never occurred. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

The Dragon and the Clam

Prologue

Gio Dragone spat up blood. His sword, once ablaze with orange fire, clattered to the marble floor. He fell to his knees, his one remaining hand falling limp. He glared at the two who had destroyed his right arm and shoulder. All that remained of it now was a small ring, decorated with the head of a dragon holding an orange gem in its mouth, laying on the ground.

The two who were at the receiving end of his angered glare began to float down to the ground like feathers. The man, a tall, blonde with large spiked hair, had a completely tranquil, almost scarily calm look on his face. There was an orange blaze on both his hands and his forehead, but neither he, nor the woman who was holding his hand, burned in the slightest. The woman was beautiful and graceful, clad in a red gossamer dress, and her feet burning with a yellow glow. The two easily touched down, their feet making only a slight tap as they touched the marble.

"Damn you… Vongola…" Gio Dragone uttered. He was losing blood fast, and was aware that he had little time left.

"It's over, Gio. We've won," the man stated. The bleeding man began to laugh, blood still dripping from his mouth.

"It's not over yet…" He whispered. His body began to shine with orange, as if there was a source of light behind him which shone clear through the remainder of his body. The light slowly began to concentrate in his mouth, which began filling up with the unseen force.

"He can't be…" The man murmured. His eyes widened with realization.

"Damn! Belladonna! Get behind me!" He shouted to the woman. He moved to raise his cloak to defend the woman, only to remember that it had been burned to shreds earlier in the battle. It was too late for them to evade.

Gio let loose all the energy stored up in his mouth straight at the two as an orange blaze, giving him the appearance of breathing fire. The flame enveloped them, hiding them from view. Gio let out a last laugh.

"I'll… be back… Vongola…" He whispered with his last breath, then fell to the floor, dead.

When the blaze cleared, the man stood without a mark on his body, his arms held as if he was guarding another person. There was nobody in his arms. Belladonna, the woman he had been trying to protect, had slipped out of his arms. The man looked up towards Gio's corpse. There she was, her arms spread out to stop the blast. The man's eyes widened in shock.

"Belladonna!" He yelled. She fell down to be caught in the man's arms. She looked up weakly at him.

"Forgive me… mi amore…" She murmured. The man, Giotto, was crying.

"Why, Belladonna? Why did you do that?" Giotto sobbed. She smiled weakly at him.

"I didn't want you… to die… You mean… so much to so many people…" She whispered. She placed one charred hand on his cheek. Giotto grasped it, his large, gloved hands swamping hers.

"Please, Giotto… Promise me that… you'll keep on living…" She asked him, her voice fading. Tears continued to stream down Giotto's face.

"Si, mi amore… just don't die, please…" He sobbed. Upon hearing his promise, Belladonna smiled at her lover. Her barely open eyes closed, and she let out a final sigh. Her hand fell limp in Giotto's.

"BELLADONNA!"

As Giotto mourned the loss of his lover, he failed to notice that the ring that the dead man had worn had disappeared.

The Dragone Famiglia lived on.

Chapter 1

The Ring Battle with the Varia is over. It's been over for about a year now. Yet still, life goes on in Namimori. Sawada Tsunayoshi, the sixteen year old tenth generation Vongola Famiglia boss, is still woken up by a green gun to the head by his (quite possibly sadistic) baby home tutor, still has to rush through his breakfast so that it is not taken by a small child wearing cow print, and still walks to school with a silver haired Mafioso who keeps enough dynamite on his body to blow up a small town, a skilled baseball player/ natural assassin / swordsman / sushi chef who never stops smiling, a white haired boxer whose volume is almost always stuck on eleven, and, of course, Kyoko. His heart warmed just thinking about her.

How was he supposed to know it was all going to change this morning?

There was nothing special about that morning's routine. Woken by a gun to the head. Fighting a small child for his food. Walking to school with a – well, that's beside the point. On this morning, however, Tsuna never arrived at school.

Now then, on with the story. It begins as Tsuna and his friends are walking to school.

"It's been… quiet." Kyoko mused. Yamamoto nodded, still wearing his trademark smile.

"Yeah, but who's complaining?" He asked.

"I AM! I AM EXTREMELY BORED!" Ryohei shouted, throwing his wrapped fists above his head.

"That was a rhetorical question, lawn-head!" Gokudera said. Ryohei laughed.

"I DON'T KNOW THE MEANING OF THE WORD RHETORICAL!" The boxer screamed. Gokudera scoffed.

"I believe you."

"Gokudera-kun, stop it." Tsuna told him.

"YES, DECIMO!" Gokudera shouted, stopping in his tracks and saluting. He had started calling Tsuna "decimo" instead of "jyudaime" soon after the Ring Battle. He thought it sounded more Italian.

"Just keep walking," Yamamoto said.

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO, BASEBALL-IDIOT!"

"Come on, Gokudera-kun."

"YES, DECIMO!"

"Good work keeping him in line, Dame-Tsuna." The brick wall the group was walking next to said. "Dame-Tsuna" stopped. A small sweat drop rolled down his face as he looked at the wall that had spoken. The section of the wall that had spoken lowered to reveal a small child wearing a black suit, with a yellow pacifier around his neck, and a fedora with a green chameleon on it. The child started folding up the brick pattern cloth that he had covered himself with. It was Reborn, Tsuna's home tutor.

"However, your observational skills leave a lot to be desired. Lambo could have seen me coming." The child said in a ridiculously high pitched voice.

"REBORN!" Tsuna shouted.

"Ciaossu," The child simply said, tucking the sheet into his pocket, "Tsuna, what are you doing walking? I thought I told you to _run _to school." Reborn held out his hand like he was holding a gun, and the green chameleon on his hat scampered onto it and changed itself into a green pistol, which Reborn aimed directly at Tsuna.

"Now _run._" Reborn ordered. A look of panic was on Tsuna's face. Yet his salvation was about to come in the form of a barely audible rumbling.

"Wait. Do you guys hear something?" Yamamoto asked. He looked around, trying to pinpoint the origin of the sound. Reborn lowered his gun, then placed the now normal chameleon back on his hat and jumped on top of Tsuna's head. It was impossible to tell what emotion was currently on his features.

"Reborn? What's going on?" The bewildered young mafia boss asked. Reborn just frowned.

"It's time," He said simply. Then he looked at the ground where Yamamoto and Kyoko were standing. "You two may want to move." He advised. The two quickly stepped away. His advice came not a moment too soon. The rumbling had changed into a loud roar coming from underground. Slowly, the road where Reborn was staring began to rise up until it broke in a small eruption of dust and small rocks. Tsuna shielded his face with his arms, as did the others.

"What the hell?!" Gokudera yelled, pulling out a few sticks of dynamite from god-knows-where. Yamamoto took out a bamboo kendo sword from the case that was slung over his shoulder and Ryohei assumed a boxing stance. Tsuna and Kyoko just backed away.

The dust began to settle. Standing near the newly formed hole in the street was a panting figure leaning on a shovel made entirely out of gold. The man was wearing a black suit like Reborn's, and had short, spiky light blonde hair. Tsuna instantly recognized him.

"Dad!" He said in disbelief. This man was his father, Sawada Iemitsu, who he had thought to be dead until about a year and a half ago, when he found out that his father was in fact a highly ranked operative in the Vongola Family. Tsuna hurried to his father's side, helping him stand up. Iemitsu looked wearily at his son, still panting.

"T-Tsuna… Perfect. There's … trouble in Italy… gotta go…" Iemitsu panted, with hardly any breath left in him.

"Are you sure you're up to it, Iemitsu?" Reborn asked. The panting man grinned.

"Perfectly fine," He replied, giving a weak thumbs-up sign, but his body's condition spoke for itself.

"Tsuna-kun, what's going on?" She asked worriedly. Tsuna shrugged. Iemitsu looked up at her and chuckled.

"Cute girl. She your girlfriend, Tsuna?" He asked jokingly. Tsuna and Kyoko both turned a light shade of red.

"D-Dad!"

"Iemitsu, don't get off track." Reborn berated him. Iemitsu nodded.

"One of you mind telling the school that Tsuna won't be in for a day or two? Oh, and tell Nana-chan that I took him on a fishing trip," Iemitsu asked Tsuna's friends. Gokudera started forward towards Tsuna and his father.

"Hold it! Wherever the Decimo goes, _I_ go!"

"I AM EXTREMELY COMING ALONG TOO!"

"Heh, seems like fun. I'm in!"

"NO." Reborn firmly stated.

"Why the hell not, Reborn-san?!" Gokudera demanded.

"Iemitsu has trouble pulling off this technique on his own. Two other people is pushing it, especially in this state, but with five others, he'd doubtlessly die en route, even if he was in his prime."

"Technique? What technique?" Tsuna asked. Iemitsu leaned a little bit more on his son and held up his golden shovel. The head of the shovel burst into orange flames with a slight groan from Iemitsu.

"Hold on tight, Tsuna." Iemitsu warned. Tsuna quickly complied. His father changed his grip on the shovel so the burning part was pointed at the street below them.

"IL TUNNEL DEL CIELO!" He shouted as he brought the shovel down, piercing the concrete. There was a bright flash of orange light, and when it faded, Iemitsu, Tsuna, and Reborn had vanished, leaving behind a patch of freshly dug earth and a bewildered Gokudera, Yamamoto, Ryohei, and Kyoko.

"What just happened?" Kyoko asked, a confused look on her face.

"SAWADA JUST HAD TO GO TO AN EXTREME BOXING MATCH!"

"Idiot."

"Wh-wh-wh-WHAT THE HECK?! WHERE ARE WE?!" Tsuna screamed. The trio had just emerged from the ground in a rather dark garden, in the middle of the night, with a large mansion about two hundred meters away.

"The Vongola Mansion, Italy." A familiar voice told him. Tsuna turned to its source. It was Dino Chiavallone, a young mafia boss who was a former student / victim of Reborn as well. Dino was wearing a black suit, and had his right arm held out, a small orange flame emanating from the ring on his finger. Standing behind him were several of Dino's subordinates, also wearing dark suits. As Tsuna watched, the fire on his hand extinguished.

"WHAT?! B-B-B-BUT WE WERE JUST IN JAPAN!" Tsuna stuttered.

"Il tunnel del cielo. The tunnel of the sky. It's one of Iemitsu's techniques. It uses the Cielo flames to harmonize with another set of flames, in this case, Dino's, anywhere in the world, and moves the user to that location at high speeds through a rapidly dug and filled in tunnel," Reborn explained, "But it uses a lot of flames, so right now…"

"Flames? What are you talking about, Reborn?" Tsuna asked, completely and totally confused.

"Urghh…G'night, Tsuna…" There was a loud thud from behind them. Iemitsu had passed out on the ground.

"Dad!"

"…That should happen." Reborn finished. Dino motioned for some of his men to pick up Iemitsu, then beckoned for Tsuna to follow him as he walked towards the mansion. Tsuna caught up with him.

"Onii-san, what's going on?" He asked Dino. Reborn answered his question for Dino.

"It's the Nono," Reborn said, "He's on his death bed."

First Chapter Ends

Mi Amore- My Love

Si- Yes

Decimo- Tenth

Nono – Ninth

Hello, readers. This is the prologue and first chapter of my very first KHR fanfic, and I would like to point some out some things that are integral to the story that have occurred in the year since the end of the Ring Battle. Also, I would like to point out that THERE IS NO YAOI IN THIS STORY. IF ANYONE ASKS ME IF THERE IS GOING TO BE ANY GOKUYAMA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I WILL DESTROY YOU.

First: This story takes place in a timeline where the TYL arc never happened. Hence, why Tsuna has no clue what the ring flames are and Kyoko is just as clueless as ever as to the Vongola.

Second: I am sticking with a language barrier, so that means that Tsuna will not understand the people that speak in Italian. For the moment.

Third: I am also going to be using a lot of Italian in the naming of new techniques and box weapons, so the translations will be at the bottom of the page.

And Fourth: In this story, several months ago, I-Pin was called back to China by Fong for training, and Fuuta joined CEDEF. Lambo was crushed and very, very lonely.

Please review! Tell me how to improve! I'll try to update at least once a week. And, if you haven't figured out who Giotto is, you are an utter idiot. Belladonna and Gio are OCs, but I'll talk about them more sometime later.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

'_Oh, man, I feel underdressed._' Tsuna thought. He was standing at the bedside of the Vongola Nono, and most, if not all, of the people also standing in the room were both wearing suits and holding back tears of sorrow. Tsuna didn't recognize many of the people assembled, except for Dino, who had filed in with his subordinates at the other side of the Nono's bed. The other man who Tsuna recognized was one scarred, angry looking man who was glaring at Tsuna as if he were the devil. Xanxus, the adopted son of the Nono. Tsuna gulped. Memories of his battle with Xanxus during the Ring Battle were still fresh. He turned back to the Nono, who was tucked into the velvet bed sheets and breathing very shallowly. Finally, Tsuna spoke up.

"Um… Timoteo-san?" He said shakily. The old man turned to him, his eyes shut.

"Xanxus?" He whispered hoarsely. Xanxus stepped forward, now standing next to Tsuna. He said something short to his adopted father in Italian. Tsuna turned to Reborn, who was standing beside the dying man on the mattress, for a translation. Reborn just tossed him an earpiece, which Tsuna clumsily caught and put on. Timoteo began to speak.

"Xanxus… please listen to this dying man's words. I am humbly sorry for what I have done to you in the past. Please, though you may not be related to me by blood, know that I still thought of you as my dear son, Xanxus," He said, in what sounded like perfect Japanese to Tsuna. He decided to ask Reborn about the earpiece later. Xanxus coldly turned his back to the old man.

"Che. Fine, old man. For what it's worth, I forgive you. But who gives a crap about being your son? Goodbye," He said coldly before stalking out of the room and slamming the door behind him. Several hours later, Xanxus would be found curled up in a ball in a hall closet, sobbing and calling out for his papa.

"Tsuna, are you still there? My eyes are failing me," Timoteo whispered again.

"I'm here, Timoteo-san." Tsuna replied. A ghost of a smile appeared on Timoteo's wrinkled face.

"Tsuna, I am sorry. I had been hoping that my health would not fail for a few more years, when you were older, but it seems that I have cheated death for far too long, and the Reaper is a very sore loser," He chuckled, followed by a fit of weak coughing.

"Timoteo-san, don't push yourself." Tsuna told him. Timoteo continued to chuckle.

"I'm going to die anyway. And when I pass on, the entirety of the Vongola will be left to you, Tsuna. You shall shoulder the responsibility of the Famiglia, all its power, and all of the sins of the Vongola. I believe that you will be a strong boss for the Vongola, and knowing that will allow me to die in peace," He sighed. Tsuna felt tears welling up in him for this man that he hardly even knew. Timoteo turned to Reborn, standing next to his head.

"Reborn? Are you there?" He asked weakly. Reborn instantly looked at Tsuna.

"Tsuna, take out the earpiece," He ordered.

"Huh? But…" Tsuna began.

"_I said take it out,_" Reborn repeated forcefully. Tsuna had never heard Reborn speak with such force, and his body instinctively removed the earpiece. Timoteo and Reborn began to speak to each other in hushed Italian, laced with sorrow. Finally, Reborn ended the conversation.

"_Arrivederci, Timoteo_," He said, sadly.

"_Arrivederci, zio,_" Timoteo said before turning back to Tsuna. He weakly reached out his hand and placed it on Tsuna's shoulder. He began to address the other men in the room, speaking in a voice that, even in his weakened state, had authority in it.

"I miei amici, questo bambino è il mio successore. Segualo poichè lo avete seguito," He said, then looked at Tsuna one last time and uttered three words: _"Buona fortuna, Tsuna."_

Then his arm slid from Tsuna's shoulder, his eyes closed, and his head lolled to the side. Timoteo Vongola, the ninth generation boss of the Vongola Famiglia, was dead. Reborn tipped his hat over his face so his eyes could not be seen. Tears fell down Tsuna's cheeks, remorseful for Timoteo's death. The assembled Mafiosos who were closest to Timoteo began to sob uncontrollably. Two man-servants quietly stepped forward to cover the dead man's face with the sheets, then quickly retreated. Dino stepped forward, tears staining his face, and spoke to Tsuna in Italian.

"Con la morte del Nono, concedo rispettosamente la direzione del Vongola a Tsunayoshi Sawada, il Decimo. Le congratulazioni e la buona fortuna," He said, then did something that Tsuna never expected. Dino Chiavallone bowed to Tsuna. No, not just bowed. He lowered himself to one knee, and lowered his head.

"Giuro la mia fedeltà a lei, Vongola Decimo," He said. Every person standing in the room slowly followed his lead, lowering themselves and saying that phrase in Italian. Tsuna, dumbfounded, turned to his only source of guidance in the room.

"Reborn what do I-huh?" He stopped. If Tsuna was surprised at Dino bowing, then he likely saw what Reborn was doing as a sign of the Apocalypse. Reborn, one of the infamous Arcobaleno, a child strong enough to defeat armies, and the former right hand of the Nono, was bowing to Tsuna. On the brim of his hat, Leon was copying the action.

"Giuro la mia fedeltà a lei, Vongola Decimo," He said, then translated, "I swear my allegiance to you, Vongola Tenth."

* * *

Following the death of Timoteo, the Vongola Mansion slowly began to empty of its guests as the night went on. At the crack of dawn, Tsuna and Reborn sat on a balcony, admiring the sunrise. Tsuna had been changed into an Italian suit, to keep him from sticking out like a sore thumb.

"It's weird, seeing the sun rise yet still feeling wide awake," Tsuna remarked.

"Time zones. It's seven in the morning here, but back in Japan, it's probably only about two in the afternoon," Reborn told him.

"Hey, Reborn?"

"Yes?"

"What did the Nono say to you?"

"Nothing," Reborn said, then went silent. The topic was clearly closed.

"What's going to happen now?" Tsuna asked.

"My tutoring of you is finished, Decimo," Reborn replied, "It was my job to get you into fighting shape. Now you'll go to the Mafia Accademia to learn the politics of the Mafia world."

"Mafia Accademia?" Tsuna repeated. He vaguely recalled Dino having said something about it in the past.

"It's a private academy, founded by the Vongola Alleanza years ago, to teach young Mafia bosses how to run a Famiglia. Basically, it's just like high school," Reborn told him.

"Except the students can bear arms?" Tsuna guessed.

"Yep," Reborn replied. Tsuna sweat dropped. That sounded _fun_. Then, he remembered something.

"Wait, Reborn, does that mean that I'll be moving here?"

"Yes," Reborn answered. Tsuna sighed.

"But I can't even speak Italian…" He mused. Reborn smirked.

"Don't worry someone has already been hired to teach you," He said, making sure not to let Tsuna see his grin. Then, Tsuna asked another question that had been bugging him.

"What about my Guardians?" Tsuna asked.

"Who knows," Reborn said with a shrug.

"Reborn, tell me." Tsuna ordered. He was fully aware that Reborn knew. Reborn _always _knew. Surprisingly, Reborn answered his question subserviently.

"Si, Decimo. All of your Guardians will be brought with you, to live at the Vongola Complex, the manors created by the Primo's Guardians, as all the Guardians before them have," Reborn replied. Tsuna clenched his fists in anger.

"No," He said with certainty. Reborn looked at him.

"No, what?"

"I will not force my Guardians to come here. They have their own lives back in Namimori, and I won't make them move halfway around the world for my sake," Tsuna answered. He braced himself for the attack he was likely to receive from Reborn for his little outburst. It never came.

"Tsuna, have you ever heard of the Primo's Guardians?" Reborn asked him. Tsuna slowly shook his head, not knowing where Reborn was going with this. Reborn began to speak.

"His Tempesta Guardian, a man called G., would do anything that the Primo asked him to do without hesitation. His Pioggia Guardian, Asari Ugetsu, was a famed Japanese musician, a personal favorite of the Emperor. When he heard that his friend was in danger, he instantly sold his flute, his most prized possession, to buy one katana and three wakizashi, and then rushed to the Primo's aid. Demon Spade, his Nebbia Guardian, even though he constantly wished to kill the Primo, personally protected him on numerous occasions, although he did just say that he was going to be the one to kill him. Alaude, his Nuvola Guardian, despised having to fight alongside anybody, but he fought with the Vongola for the Primo's sake. Knuckle, his Serena Guardian, was a former champion boxer, who went into monkhood after he accidentally killed one of his opponents in a match. When the Primo was in danger, he allowed himself three minutes in the ring, and single handedly turned the tables in the battle. Lampo, his Fulmine Guardian, was a spoiled brat and a coward, but when the Primo asked him to, he fought with the ferocity of an ox. Get the picture? Making your Guardians move halfway across the world is absolutely nothing, comparatively," Reborn told him. Tsuna shook his head.

"Well, they're not the Primo's guardians," Tsuna replied.

"Might as well be," Reborn retorted without missing a beat.

"What?"

"Tsuna, _each of your guardians is a descendent of the Primo's guardians._" Reborn said. Tsuna froze. After a minute of silence, he got his voice back.

"They're all descendents?"

"Well, save for Chrome. Not sure who she is, really," Reborn corrected himself. Tsuna was silent as he thought this over.

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm not going to make them come here," He answered, as steadfast as before.

"Then what about Gokudera? Do you think he'll really let you go alone? Or Chrome? Tsuna, she lives in an abandoned amusement park. Don't you think she should have better?" Reborn asked him, his words stinging Tsuna. He sighed.

"Fine. Gokudera and Chrome will come, but I'm not telling any of the others," He said. Reborn nodded.

"So be it," He said. The two were silent for several minutes, until the door behind them opened and Iemitsu, supported by a pair of crutches, walked out.

"Good morning, Decimo. Is there anything that this humble servant can do for you on this fine fall morning?" He said, jokingly. He was smiling lightly.

"Dad! Don't call me Decimo!" Tsuna pleaded. Iemitsu laughed.

"Iemitsu, is the plane ready to depart?" Reborn asked. Iemitsu nodded.

"Yeah, it's ready to take us back to Tokyo whenever you're ready, Tsuna," Iemitsu told them, then limped his way back inside. Tsuna followed him, Reborn perched on his shoulder.

"Hey, Reborn? You said that someone had been hired to teach me Italian?" He asked. Reborn nodded, grinning.

"Yes, he's probably on the plane already. You'll be fluent by the time we touchdown in Tokyo," Reborn said, still smirking, unbeknownst to Tsuna.

"He's that good?"

"Yes. He's considered to be one of the greatest mathematical minds of our time, can speak at least fifty languages fluently, and possesses a very nice pair of side burns. His name is…"

_Later, on the plane_

"REBORN!"

"Reborn-san? Yes, he hired me to teach you Italian. My name is Professor Boreen. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," 'Boreen' replied. In truth, it was just Reborn using one of his more well known aliases and wearing a black robe and scholar's hat. On the brim of his hat, Leon was sporting a similar get up. Besides Tsuna, Reborn, and Iemitsu, the Vongola's private jet was empty.

"Will you two keep it down? Some people are trying to sleep, here," Iemitsu called out. He was several rows behind them, sprawled out on a reclined chair, trying to rest his still aching body. Reborn did not listen to his request.

"Let's begin, then, Dame-Tsuna. Translate the following sentence into Japanese. _Mio nome…_"

"W-w-w-wait! I don't know a word of Italian!" Tsuna stammered. 'Boreen' just nodded.

"Which is why I brought these along," He said, and pulled out of seemingly nowhere a stack of books about four times his own height.

"Read all of these. I will expect a paragraph long summary of each of the books _in Italian_ turned in to me in an hour. Or else," 'Boreen' threatened, a dark look on his little face.

"But I can't!" Tsuna repeated. 'Boreen' sighed.

"Well, looks like I have no choice," He mused. Leon morphed into a gun, although it had a black robe and scholar's hat on, and was aimed at Tsuna by 'Boreen'. Tsuna freaked out, as he usually did when that gun was involved.

"The Death Wish Bullet?! Reborn, wait…!" Tsuna shouted, entering his cowardice mode. 'Boreen' cocked his head to the side, feigning innocence.

"I told you: I'm not Reborn-san. Now, die, please," He requested, then pulled the trigger. The last thought that passed through his mind before he was struck by the bullet was "_But this suit is Italian!_".

The Death Wish Bullet entered Tsuna's body through his forehead without leaving an entry wound. For a few seconds, Tsuna looked as if he were dead. But then, a small orange flame lit on his forehead, and his eyes narrowed, determined.

"REBOOOOORN!" He shouted, then leapt from his seat and somehow ripped his brand new suit off his body without his hands, leaving him in only green boxers. Unfortunately, Tsuna didn't gauge the distance from the seat to the ceiling before he jumped, and banged his head on the ceiling with an audible 'clang'. It didn't seem to faze him, however, and simply left a dent in the ceiling.

"LEARN ITALIAN WITH MY DYING WILL!" Tsuna screamed, and then practically attacked the pile of books, reading at a rate of about one book a minute.

"I thought I said to keep it down!" Iemitsu shouted, but Tsuna was too busy reading.

"ORYAH! ORYAH! ORYAH!" Tsuna shouted as, now finished with the books, he started writing out the summaries of the books with an alarming, nearly inhuman, speed. When the flame faded and his face returned to its normal calm appearance about fifteen minutes later, Tsuna had finished everything. He plopped back down in his seat, wiped out.

"Ahhhh… So tired…" He moaned. 'Boreen' was looking through the papers keenly.

"Good job, Tsuna. I'm quite impressed." He said sincerely.

"Thank you," Tsuna said tiredly, quite at a loss for words. It wasn't very often that he received praise from Reborn.

"Now, let's start working on French."

"EEEEEHHHH?!"

"And do it QUIETLY this time!" Iemitsu shouted.

It was going to be a long flight.

Chapter 2 Ends

Translations:

Arrivederci: Goodbye

Zio: Uncle (dun dun dunnnnnn)

I miei amici, questo bambino è il mio successore. Segualo poichè lo avete seguito: My friends, this child is my successor. Follow him as you would follow me.

Con la morte del Nono, concedo rispettosamente la direzione del Vongola a Tsunayoshi Sawada, il Decimo. Le congratulazioni e la buona fortuna: With the death of the Ninth, I respectfully grant the leadership of the Vongola to Tsunayoshi Sawada, the Tenth. Congratulations and good luck.

Sole: Sun (I know that "serena" is supposed to be sun, but that apparently means "clear sky" in Italian. It's confusing, I know.)

Tempesta: Storm

Pioggia: Rain

Nuvola: Cloud

Nebbia: Mist

Serena: Sun (I know that I already said that "sole" was sun, but apparently, serena is "clear sky" in Italian, but Amano Akira uses it as Sun, so I will too.)

Fulmine: Lightning

Primo: First

And now, things start moving. Now that Tsuna has learned Italian, the language barrier goes 'poof'. And yes, I know that Xanxus wouldn't react like I said he reacted, but I put that in there just because I could. Ha-ha. But why did Timoteo call Reborn "uncle"? Meh, you'll find out. Bwahahahahaha!

Note: Instead of "dying will", I'll be using "death wish", just because I think it sounds cooler.

Next chapter, Tsuna, Reborn, and Iemitsu return to Namimori. Tsuna is sent to give the news to all of his guardians, but what will happen when it turns out that Kyoko isn't as unobservant as she seems?

If you do not review, I will find everyone you hold dear and kick them in the shins.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank God… I got REVIEWS! TT^TT Thank you all so very much!

Also, I am SO sorry I took so long to update. I haven't had too much of a chance to write this gem.

Anyway, here's the next chapter of "The Dragon and the Clam"!

'_Thoughts'_

Italian

Chapter 3

"So, Dad, what are you going to tell Mom?" Tsuna asked as they got out of the taxi in front of the Sawada residence. Reborn had vanished along the way to "take care of some business", as he had said. Iemitsu shrugged.

"I'll probably just tell her I got a cushy job in Italy." He replied. Tsuna sweat dropped.

"As a _traffic director_?" He clarified. Iemitsu stroked his chin in thought.

"_Very_ cushy job." Iemitsu corrected. Tsuna was silent for a moment.

"Hey, Dad, why don't you tell Mom the truth?" He asked. This question had been bugging him for a while. Iemitsu smiled knowingly.

"Son, it's for the same reason you don't tell that Kyoko girl. I don't tell her about the mafia because I don't want her to get involved. Maybe one day I'll tell her the truth, but not today. It would put her at risk," Iemitsu answered. "Now, I'll go give her the news, you just head out and tell your Guardians what happened. You remember the cover story we agreed on?" Tsuna nodded.

"Right. I'll go tell Lambo, first. He's the nearest," Tsuna decided. He and Iemitsu walked into the house.

Round 1: Lambo Bovino, Fulmine Guardian

"NOOOOOOOO! LAMBO-SAN DOESN'T WANNA!" The small child cried. Tsuna cringed. This was gonna be tough.

"Lambo, stop crying for a second and let me finish," Tsuna pleaded. Lambo ignored him and continued crying. Several minutes and a large lollipop later, Tsuna had his undivided attention.

"Lambo, you'll be going back to Italy-" Tsuna started again, but Lambo interrupted him.

"Wambo-than dudn't wunna go. Wambo-than wunna shtay w'th mama." Lambo stated firmly, his voice slightly muffled by the lollipop.

"Lambo, don't worry, okay? You're not gonna be all alone. We're moving to Italy, too." Tsuna reassured him. Lambo's eyes lit up at this news.

"WEALLY?!" He squealed, saliva dripping from his mouth, "WAMBO-THAN CAN SHEE YOU GUYTH?"

"Yes, Lambo. You'll be living right down the street from us, in a biiiiig house. Okay?" Tsuna said, glad he had finally gotten through. Lambo thought for a few minutes, eventually biting off the rest of his lollipop.

"Well, if you're begging Lambo-san, I guess I'll do it! Gyuhaihaihaihai!" He laughed. Tsuna sweat dropped.

"But I wasn't begging you…" Tsuna stated, but Lambo wasn't listening.

"Lambo-san's gonna go pack!" He shouted, then bolted out of the room.

ROUND 1: VICTORY FOR TSUNA

ROUND 2: Sasagawa Ryohei, Serena Guardian

Tsuna tentatively knocked on the door of the Sasagawa residence, a few blocks away from his own house. This was his second stop on his city round tour, to tell Ryohei what had happened. After waiting for a minute, Kyoko opened the door.

"Oh, Tsuna-kun! You're back!" She said with surprise. Tsuna nodded.

"Yeah, just got back in this morning. Anyway, I need to speak with Ryohei. It's urgent," He told her.

"Sorry, he and Mom are out on a walk. Should be back soon. Would you like to come in?" She asked him. Tsuna nodded and followed her into the house, taking off his shoes as he did.

"Sorry to intrude," He said, following Kyoko into the living room.

"Oh, it's perfectly fine. Would you like some tea?" She asked him, retreating into the kitchen.

"Yes, please," Tsuna responded, sitting down on a chair in the Sasagawa's well-furnished living room. He looked around the room at the decorations. There was a glass case with several of Ryohei's boxing trophies, some childhood pictures of both Ryohei and Kyoko, and several other pictures all over the walls. A few minutes later, Kyoko returned bearing a tray with a pot of tea and two cups. She handed one steaming cup to Tsuna, who blew on it before taking a sip. Kyoko quickly got down to business.

"Well, now that you're back, I'd like an explanation, Tsuna," Kyoko stated firmly. Tsuna could tell she was serious because she had dropped the –kun from his name. She only did that when she was upset. Tsuna finished taking a sip of the tea, and prepared to recite the cover story for the move.

"Well, my dad got a promotion at work, he's getting a good salary, and there's even a house near the headquarters in Italy included in the deal. Now, Dad wants to bring my family there to live with him. We'll be leaving in about two weeks," He answered. Tsuna looked at Kyoko's expression, to see her reaction to it. He was quite shocked to see that she was glaring at him, disbelievingly.

"Your dad is a _traffic director_. What kind of job did they promote him to in order to get him a good salary and a _house?_" She asked. Tsuna paused. They hadn't thought about that.

"Um, well, that's…" He stumbled, but Kyoko cut him off. She was on a roll now.

"Also, how did your dad literally pop out of the ground?" She asked. Tsuna paled. _Oh, crap! I forgot about that! _He thought.

"Well, it was a, um, a prototype…"

"What about all those 'sumo matches' my brother always has to go to, only to come back with cuts and bruises?"

"Its, uh…"

"What about those yakuza we ran into a few weeks ago that ran away from you? Screaming 'Holy shit! Holy shit! It's that underwear freak!'" Kyoko continued. Tsuna could feel a sweat coming on. He was under incredible pressure from the normally calm and controlled Kyoko. He had never thought that she would be so… so _sharp_. She'd always seemed unquestioning, if not a little bit gullible.

"Well? Tell me the truth, Tsuna, and not one of those half-assed lies," She told him. Tsuna gulped. He'd never heard Kyoko swear before. He didn't think she _could_. Now, he just had to pray to God, Buddha, and whoever else was listening to come and save him. All of the sudden, the front door was slammed open.

"WE'RE EXTREMELY BACK!" Two voices yelled. One voice was obviously Ryohei's, but the other was more feminine.

'_Saved by the bell. Good timing, Ryohei.' _He mentally thanked the white haired boxer, then he had another thought. '_Wait, if Ryohei was going on a run with his mother, then that means that the other voice was…_'

"KYOKO! IS THAT TEA I SMELL?" The second voice shouted, obviously feminine. The owner of the voice rounded the corner, along with Ryohei. For a split second, Tsuna could not tell the two apart.

The woman looked a little bit like an older, slightly taller, female Ryohei. She had the same band aid on the bridge of her nose, had white, spiky hair done in a short frizzy pony tail, and wrappings covering her fists. She looked straight at Tsuna with a Ryohei-esque glare on her face. There was silence for a moment. Then she noticed that Kyoko was glaring at Tsuna like she wanted to kill him. She connected the dots, albeit incorrectly.

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING TO KYOKO?!" She screamed, and lunged forward at Tsuna, punching him so hard he flew out of his chair and into a wall. He left an indentation on the wall, and several pictures fell from their hooks.

"Wait, Mom, no!" Kyoko said, but her mother was not done with poor Tsuna yet. She picked up the half conscious boy and held him up against the same wall he had just crashed into.

"Mom, why are you extremely beating up Sawada?" Ryohei asked from the doorway. She turned to look at him, a bewildered look on her face.

"Huh? Did you say Sawada?" She asked.

"Yeah. He's an extreme member of the boxing club!" Ryohei yelled. Tsuna, who had slightly regained consciousness at this point, sweat dropped.

"Um, no, I'm not," Tsuna eked out. It was hard to breathe with a hand grasping his throat. The woman who possessed said hand was now eyeing him curiously. When she was finished, she grinned. Finally, she let him go, causing him to crumple to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Well, I'll be. You're Mitsu-chan's kid, right?" She asked. Tsuna looked at her, confused.

"Huh?"

"Name's Sasagawa Hanabi," She said, proudly pointing her thumb at herself. "Are you Mitsu-chan's kid or not?" She asked. Tsuna was still confused.

"S-sorry, Sasagawa-san, but who's Mitsu-chan?" Tsuna replied. Hanabi glared at him, then kicked him on the side of the head, knocking him to the ground with enough force to leave an indentation on the floor.

"DON'T CALL ME SASAGAWA-SAN!" She yelled, "MAKES ME FEEL OLD!"

"Y-yes, Hanabi-san," Tsuna groaned. He now had two large lumps on the side of his head and his jaw.

'_Well, it's not too hard to figure out who Ryohei takes after… ouch,_' Tsuna thought. Hanabi, pleased with his addressing of her now, grinned.

"Much better. And we can do without the sarcastic comment in your head, thanks," Hanabi stated, as if she could hear what he were thinking. Tsuna sweat dropped.

'_Holy… She can read my mind?!_' Tsuna thought, his usual "what-the-crap" face on. Hanabi tsked.

"It's not mind reading. You just take after Mitsu-chan so much it's extremely easy to tell what you're thinking," She corrected.

'_Take after Mitsu-chan… Then that means that… Ohhh, I get it. Ie-mitsu… Mitsu-chan… Must be an old nickname of Dad's,' _Tsuna realized.

"Man, sorry about that! If I'd known you were Mitsu-chan's kid, I wouldn't have kicked you so hard!" Hanabi grinned. Tsuna, for the umpteenth time that day, sweat dropped.

"Did you know my dad, Sasa- I mean, Hanabi-san?" Tsuna asked, quickly catching his mistake. Hanabi nodded.

"Yup, used to go to school with 'im. I haven't seen him in an extremely long time though. Always out of town on some business or other," Hanabi mused.

"Well, he's in town now…" Tsuna told her. Hanabi perked up at this fact. A mad-looking grin formed on her face. She addressed her two children, one of whom was handing an ice pack to the boy she had just beaten the crap out of.

"Yosha, Ryohei, Kyoko, I'll be gone for a while. Kyoko, keep your brother in line. Ryohei, NO SHOUTING IN THE HOUSE!" Hanabi yelled. Ryohei saluted her.

"EXTREMELY UNDERSTOOD, MOM!" He shouted, making it completely obvious that he did not understand. Hanabi, however, seemed pleased.

"Good. I'M EXTREMELY OFF!" She shouted, then dashed for the door at an extreme speed. There was silence for a minute after she left. Finally, Tsuna spoke.

"Well, your mom seems… nice." Tsuna said, at a loss for words. Kyoko shrugged, seeming as if she had forgotten about her demanding an explanation from Tsuna.

"Sorry about her. She's sometimes a bit overprotective of me, and gets a little bit violent," Kyoko told him. Tsuna deadpanned.

'_That's a little bit violent?_' He thought.

"Anyway, Sawada, what extremely brings you here?" Ryohei asked.

"Well, you see…"

* * *

"…and that's what happened." Tsuna finished. Ryohei looked at him with a blank look on his face and his arms crossed over his chest.

"Okay, I just have one thing to say."

"What?"

"I EXTREMELY DON'T GET IT!"

"I thought so…"

_Several attempts at explanation later…_

"…I STILL EXTREMELY DON'T GET IT… Oh, wait, now I do," Ryohei corrected himself. Tsuna groaned. He stood up to leave, since his work here was done.

"Okay, if you finally get it, I have to go now…" He said. He bowed respectfully to them. Kyoko gave him a glare that told him that she wasn't done with him yet.

Round 2: Ryohei Sasagawa, Serena Guardian : Victory (?)

Round 3: Hayato Gokudera, Tempesta Guardian

Tsuna knocked on the door to Gokudera's apartment. He'd never been here before. Heck, before this, he didn't even know where the silver haired mafioso even lived. For all he knew, Gokudera might have slept under his bed. Tsuna could hear a pair of faint voices through the door, arguing about something in hushed voices. Finally, about two minutes after Tsuna had knocked, Gokudera opened the door.

"Ah, Decimo! You're back! Please, sir, come in! I've got some tea cooking!" Gokudera beckoned, bowing low as he usually did.

"Thank you, Gokudera-kun," Tsuna said, walking in and taking off his shoes. Then he noticed something odd. There was another pair of shoes beside his and Gokudera's by the door. Judging by the size, they were likely a pair of girl's shoes, but Tsuna had no idea whose.

"Um, Gokudera-kun? Whose shoes are these?" He asked. Gokudera turned white as he noticed the shoes.

"Um, they're, uh, n-nobody's, Decimo! There's nobody here but me!" He claimed, waving his hands in denial. Tsuna looked around the apartment more.

"Then why is the table set for two?" He asked. Gokudera paled even more, were that even possible.

"W-well, the thing is…" He started, but a loud thump coming from the closet cut him off. Tsuna looked at the door.

"What was that?" He asked, his "what-the-crap" face on at full blast.

"Th-that was my, uh, my cat, sir!" Gokudera stumbled.

"Why is your cat in the closet, then?"

"Sh- I mean, he likes it in there! I can't keep him out of that closet! Isn't that right, uh, um…" Gokudera looked around quickly, his eyes falling on the wax fruit bowl on the table, right next to the still steaming meal. He looked at the melon that was featured prominently in the bowl.

"Uri-chan?" He said.

"Uh, nya! ~Desu," An obviously human voice said from the closet, quickly giving away the identity of the speaker. Tsuna sighed.

"Haru, you can come out now," He said. A pink faced, and fully dressed, Haru opened the door. She waved, embarrassedly, at Tsuna. He face-palmed. He and Gokudera had been over this numerous times. One more repetition couldn't hurt.

"Gokudera-kun, how many times do we have to tell you, _we know about you and Haru?_" Tsuna reminded Gokudera, exasperatedly. Gokudera and Haru both blushed. The two had started seeing each other in secret not long after the Ring Battle. Tsuna still had no idea how they had gotten together. The two had kept it secret in order to "preserve their reputations", as they had said. The cat was let out of the bag after Gokudera took Haru out to a French restaurant, where Gokudera made enough of a commotion (he nearly blew up the front window) to be noticed by the manager, who warned his good friend Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, or Yamamoto's father, to look out for "a silver haired, Italian delinquent with a rather annoying brunette girlfriend,", in case he tried to blow up the sushi restaurant, and then Tsuyoshi connected the dots when he next saw the two together and spilled the beans to the others, then Haru cracked under the pressure and confessed. (A/N Wow. That is quite possibly the longest sentence I have ever written) Now, even though their secret was out, the two would instinctively try to keep it hidden.

"Old habits die hard, Decimo…?" Gokudera suggested, shrugging. Tsuna groaned.

"Sorry, Haru, but I need to talk to Gokudera-kun in private for a second. Would you mind?" Tsuna asked Haru politely.

"Okay, ~desu! Just try not to take too long, okay, Goku-chan?" She told her boyfriend, jokingly. Gokudera turned red at the mention of her little pet name for him. Tsuna blanched. Haru left the two alone in order to go to the bathroom, then Gokudera turned on Tsuna. Moving faster than the naked eye could see, he had dropped to one knee and bowed his head, much like the assorted mafia bosses had to Tsuna a few days ago.

"Giuro la mia fedeltà a lei, Vongola Decimo!" He shouted enthusiastically. Tsuna sweat dropped slightly, then waved his hands in embarrassment.

"I-it's okay, you can get up, _Goku-chan_," Tsuna said teasingly. Gokudera blushed again.

"Ser Decimo, please don't bring up that name," Gokudera pleaded. Tsuna laughed, then addressed his friend in perfect Italian.

"I take that you've heard, then?" Gokudera looked up when he heard Tsuna speaking in his mother tongue, only slightly shocked.

"S-ser Decimo, when did you learn to speak Italian?" He asked, quite impressed with this feat. Tsuna had troubles translating Japanese into English, so it was very impressive to hear him speaking perfect Italian.

"About, oh, twelve hours ago," Tsuna replied, counting up the hours in his head. '_Along with German, French, and a little Chinese…' _He thought, but he didn't add that on. He quickly returned the subject to the task at hand.

"Anyway, you have heard?" Tsuna clarified, earning a nod from Gokudera.

"Yes, and I am very saddened by the death of the Nono. May he rest in peace," He replied, crossing himself in respect for the former boss.

"Then you also know about…?" Tsuna asked, not finishing his sentence. Gokudera nodded again, sadder this time.

"Yes, Decimo. I am prepared to go back to Italy with you," Gokudera said, a hint of regret in his voice, "But what about the others? What shall you do about the other Guardians?" He asked, praying that they would stay. Most of them got very much on the young Mafioso's nerves.

"Yamamoto, Ryohei, and Hibari are not coming. Yamamoto and Ryohei have their own lives here, and I highly doubt that Hibari will want to come at all. He's too attached to Nami Middle," Tsuna told him. Gokudera breathed a sigh of relief. That would mean that only the one-eyed zombie (Chrome) and the moron cow (Lambo) would be coming. He could live with that.

"I understand, Ser Decimo. When will we leave?"

"The plane has been reserved for us in two weeks. I'm sorry that I have to split you and Haru, Gokudera," Tsuna said apologetically, bowing down to his friend.

"It's alright, Ser Decimo. We'll always have our e-mail, I suppose," Gokudera said hopefully.

Round 3: Gokudera Hayato, Tempesta Guardian: Victory for Tsuna!

Round 4: Hibari Kyoya, Nuvola Guardian

Tsuna knocked on the door to Hibari's house. From the outside, it looked like a normal two story house, but Tsuna was hoping he would not have to see the interior. After a few minutes, the door opened slightly, still chained shut from the inside. Hibari's scowling face greeted him.

"What is it, herbivore?" The chief of the Disciplinary committee said impatiently. Tsuna gulped.

"H-hello, Hibari. I just came to tell you…"

"Piss off. I'll bite you to death," Hibari growled, then slammed the door forcefully.

'_Well, that was quicker than expected,_' Tsuna thought.

Round 4: Hibari Kyoya, Nuvola Guardian: Defeat…

Round 5: Yamamoto Takeshi, Pioggia Guardian

"Excuse me? Can you tell me where Yamamoto is?" Tsuna asked the man who was working behind the counter at Yamamoto Sushi. The young chef looked up at him, deciding whether or not to tell him.

"The boss and his son are around back, if you're interested," He finally told Tsuna, then returned to his work. Tsuna nodded gratefully. Leaving the restaurant, he found his way around back, towards the Yamamoto's house, an old Japanese style abode. He took off his shoes again before stepping onto the walkway.

"Hello? Yamamoto? Are you home?" Tsuna called out. No answer. Tsuna listened for some sound that would prove the two were home. From the training room, he could hear the sound of steel hitting steel. Likely Yamamoto and his father practicing with their swords. Tsuna followed the noise. After finally finding his way there, he was about to open the rolling door to the room, when there was a thunk from the door, and something sharp touched him on the forehead. Tsuna paused, then looked up at what it was.

It was a blade from a katana that had just pierced through the door and stopped just before it could pierce his forehead. As he stood there in fear, another sword pierced through the door near his heart, and another one protruded from the door and very barely touched his throat. Tsuna was now paralyzed in fear.

'_Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap…_' Tsuna thought, slowly backing away from the door. One by one, the blades were pulled back, and a familiar eye peeked through one of the holes.

"Oh, Tsuna! Whatcha doing here?" Yamamoto asked jovially, opening the door. The three short swords that had nearly killed Tsuna were held between his fingers on one hand.

"P-praying that I won't die…" Tsuna replied shakily. Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head in apology.

"Sorry, sorry! Just practicing some sword techniques with the old man, but I lost my hold on the swords," He explained, his usual grin still on his face. It didn't make Tsuna feel any better.

"Oi, old man! Mind if we take a break for a little bit?" Yamamoto called back into the training room.

"Fine! Just don't take too long!" Yamamoto Tsuyoshi shouted back. Yamamoto nodded, then led Tsuna somewhere they could sit down.

_Later…_

"Ahhh, so that's what happened. Congratulations, Tsuna!" Yamamoto said cheerfully. Tsuna had just finished explaining to Yamamoto about what had happened, omitting the part about the Guardians moving. Yamamoto no longer thought of the Mafia as a game. He hadn't ever since he'd been forced to use the sharp side of his sword.

"Yeah, congratulations…" Tsuna murmured, sadly. It seemed that the Pioggia Guardian was trying to cheer him up, but it wasn't really working. Yamamoto grinned more at his friend.

"Aw, just cheer up, Tsuna! You're going to Italy, not the moon! You can still come by and visit us during the holidays, cantcha?" Yamamoto suggested. This did cheer Tsuna up a little bit, but not much. He checked his watch. It was around noon. If he was going to make it to Kokuyo Land in time, he would have to leave soon.

"Alright, sorry, Yamamoto, but I have to go now. Thank you for your hospitality," Tsuna said, bowed respectfully, and then left. As he left, he failed to notice Yamamoto Senior standing on the side of the door. He had heard every word.

Round 5: Yamamoto Takeshi, Pioggia Guardian: Victory!

* * *

While Tsuna was visiting all of his Guardians…

_Ding dong_… the doorbell of the Sawada residence chimed. Iemitsu and Nana were in the kitchen, cracking open an early bottle of champagne in celebration of Iemitsu's "promotion". Bianchi and Lambo were both upstairs, packing for a change of residence.

"Hm? I wonder who that could be…" Iemitsu wondered as Nana struggled with the cork.

"Come… Out… Geez…" She grunted, pulling with all her might on the bottle. Iemitsu went to go answer the door. However, just as he was about to turn the knob, the door was kicked off its hinges by a flying kick, flattening him on the ground. In the now empty doorway stood Sasagawa Hanabi, who was renowned for the strength of her kicks and her impatience, both of which she had just demonstrated.

"SORRY TO INTRUDE!" She shouted while casually walking in. When she noticed Iemitsu on the ground trying to push the door off his body, she grinned at him.

"Yo, Mitsu-chan! Whatcha doing on the ground?" She asked, casually waving. Iemitsu pushed the door off himself as he recognized the speaker. He smiled slightly.

"Always one for showy entrances, aren't you, Hanabi?" He joked. Hanabi laughed as she helped him up off the ground.

"Yup, that's me! How you been, Mitsu-chan?"

"Still using that old nickname?"

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Nana continued to work on the cork, oblivious to the sound of the door breaking open. Finally, the cork flew off with a loud pop, and began to ricochet out of the kitchen and into the hall, straight towards Iemitsu and Hanabi. Miraculously, Iemitsu dodged it, thanks to his reflexes tempered by years in the Mafia. Hanabi, however, didn't dodge. With a speed rivaling that of a bullet, she punched the cork in midair, obliterating it completely.

"Heh, still got it!" She remarked, cracking her knuckles in triumph.

"Dear, I finally got it! It's… Oh! Who's this?" Nana gasped as she walked into the hall with the foaming bottle and noticing their unexpected guest.

"Nana, this is an old friend of mine, Sasagawa Hanabi," Iemitsu told her, motioning to the grinning madwoman. She flashed a peace sign at Nana.

"Yo! Sorry to intrude!" She said cheerfully.

"Oh, it's absolutely no trouble! Iemitsu and I were just having some champagne; care to join us?" Nana asked, holding up the foaming bottle. Iemitsu paled. Hanabi and alcoholic beverages did not mix; Hanabi had on numerous occasions nearly killed people when she got drunk. Hanabi, however, was completely unaware of her lack of alcohol tolerance.

"Oh, I'd love to, if it was no trouble," Hanabi said eagerly.

_Several glasses of champagne later..._

"So, you heard about Iemitsu being in town from Tsu-kun?"

"A-yup. He was at our house to talk to Kyoko 'n Ryohei 'bout *hic* sum'n," Hanabi slurred in response. So far, she had had about two glasses of champagne. Nana bowed to her.

"I'm so sorry that your lovely daughter has to have such a useless child as her boyfriend, Hanabi-san…" She said. Hanabi, who was just finishing her third glass, did a spit take. Iemitsu groaned. Now she was gonna see red.

"WHAT?! YOU MEAN THERE WAS SUM'N B'TWEEN THEM? OH, I'MMA GONNA KILL THAT *hic* DISR'SPECTF'L BRAT NEXT CHANCE I GET!" Hanabi raged.

'_Tsuna, pray for your life,_' Iemitsu thought. What she lacked in holding her alcohol, Sasagawa Hanabi excelled in holding a grudge. Hanabi's drunken ranting was interrupted when a certain six year old hitman came down the stairs.

"Hey, Mama? Lambo-san needs some help packing," He said, not paying any attention to their guest. Hanabi, however, was looking at Lambo with interest.

"Ah, of course! Excuse me, you two, I'll be right back." Nana said, following the small child upstairs. Once she was out of earshot, Hanabi turned to Iemitsu, her drunken slurring gone.

"Yare-yare, Mitsu-chan, looks like this house has been seeing some extreme action lately. Isn't that Otavio's stupid little nephew? And, unless my nose fails me…" She sniffed the air for a moment, "Is that the Poison Scorpion's cooking I smell?"

"Sharp as ever, Hanabi," Iemitsu concluded, smiling. Not many would have been able to smell the faint traces of Bianchi's cooking in the air.

"Yeah, I guess I am." She mused, and looked at the ring on her left ring finger. Emblazoned on the ring were five letters:

CEDEF.

* * *

Ay caramba, that was a long chapter. And, as an added bonus, I have in total written more than 10,000 words for this story, counting about a quarter of the next chapter! WOOHOO!

Haha, now you can see how Uri (Gokudera's box weapon) got its name! I think I heard that "uri" is Japanese for melon. Also, I am fully aware that GokuHaru is probably never going to happen, but they're kinda cute together.

I know I made Kyoko kinda OOC, but I really don't give a flying fart. I'm trying to make her a much stronger character than in the manga. Expect a lot of growth from her in the future.

I know I didn't write what happened when Tsuna went to Kokuyo Land, but this chapter is long enough already, so I decided not to. Meh. I'll do something about it.

This chapter was the debut of Sasagawa Hanabi, the mother of Ryohei and Kyoko, and a former member of CEDEF? Dun. Dun. Duuuuuuunnnn. More to come!

Next chapter: The Vongola Vs. Airport security!


	4. Chapter Omake

Okay, to all the people who have been reading my story, thank you, you're awesome, and I am SO sorry I haven't updated recently! I am working on the chapter, I've just been pretty busy recently. To make up for my chronical procrastination, here is a little omake. Well, not really. It's just a list of what would happen if two characters from KHR were put in an empty room together for one hour. I got the idea from one of the KHR discussion threads, but I can't remember which. Anyway!

The Dragon and the Clam Omake!

Tsuna + Kyoko

…Absolutely nothing would happen. Just completely awkward attempts at conversation by Tsuna. FOR SIXTY FREAKING MINUTES.

Gokudera + Yamamoto

It is highly likely that in the first fifteen minutes, Gokudera will have ripped out Yamamoto's throat.

Hibari + ANYBODY

Two shall enter, one shall leave.

Tsuna + Giotto

At the end of the hour, Tsuna will be able to say he has been in an empty room WITH A DEAD BODY. GOOD GOD, G27 PISSES ME OFF. THERE IS NO WAY TSUNA CAN OR WILL HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DEAD GREAT-SOMETHING-GRANDFATHER.

Kyoko + Haru

Just talking about cakes for sixty minutes nonstop.

Lambo + Reborn

Lambo shall not leave the room alive.

Lambo + I-pin

There will be AT LEAST four different instances of the TY Bazooka being used.

Tsuna + Yamamoto

…I honestly don't know what would happen.

Ryohei + ANYONE

The person who is with Ryohei will have intense hearing problems afterwards.

Reborn + Tsuna

Reborn will, somehow, find a way to make Tsuna's life absolutely miserable.

Reborn + Bianchi

*CENSORED* for three *CENSORED* banana *CENSORED* with a PLATYPUS. If I didn't have that censored, this would likely be rated M. Bianchi is such a lolicon. I think…

End.

Well, that's all I can think of right now. If you have any suggestions, let me know in your review. I will do my best to have the next chapter up as soon as possible. I promise.

REVIEW.


	5. Chapter 4

Gah, I'm so sorry. For the past four chapters, I have forgotten to do the disclaimer. Anyway…

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR… YET. BWAHAHAHAHA!

Chapter 4: Vongola vs. Airport Security

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow," Tsuna yelped with each step he took as he limped home from Kokuyo Land. Needless to say, the trip to Kokuyo Land had been a little bit less docile than the others. Almost as soon as he had arrived, he was bitten on the legs several times by Ken, poisoned by Chikusa, and nearly melted by M.M., before Chrome finally came out and begged them to stop. He was then nearly given food poisoning by Chrome's "cooking", which was on a level near Bianchi's, and then had to limp home with a very upset stomach. It was a wonderful day.

"I'm home… finally," He said weakly as he walked through the (empty) doorway to the Sawada residence.

"Took you long enough, Dame-Tsuna," a familiar high pitched voice squeaked. There was Reborn, sitting on the banister with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Nice to see you, too. How was your 'business'?" Tsuna asked sarcastically.

"Meh. It was okay," Reborn said indifferently. He took another sip of his coffee. Tsuna limped past him up the stairs, determined to take a nice hot bath to soothe his pained body.

_

* * *

_

One hot soak later…

"Ahhhh… So much better…" Tsuna sighed, drying his hair with a towel after he had changed. The phone began to ring. After a minute, Tsuna's mother called up to him.

"Tsu-kun! It's for you!" Tsuna hurried downstairs to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Tsuna, its Yamamoto," The voice on the other side of the line answered. Upon hearing the tone in his voice, Tsuna could tell something was up. The usually happy-go-lucky boy had changed from his usual jovial tone to his serious and determined tone, which he only used during battle or when he was really upset.

"H-hey, Yamamoto. Is something wrong?"

"Tsuna, my dad's restaurant just got bought out," Yamamoto replied. Tsuna lifted his eyebrows. The conversation was going downhill.

"It did?"

"Yeah, and my dad got hired to be the _personal sushi chef _for the execs of a big multinational corporation," Yamamoto told him. Tsuna silently prayed that it wasn't what he was thinking.

"_The Vongola Corporation. In Italy,_" Yamamoto practically growled. Tsuna gulped.

"Tsuna, is there something you didn't tell me about what happened with the Famiglia?" Yamamoto asked. Tsuna opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a small beep from the phone. He was, quite literally, saved by the bell.

"H-hold on, Yamamoto. There's another call on the line," Tsuna said, then switched the line, "Moshi-moshi?" He was soon wishing he did not have the phone so close to his ear.

"SAWADA!"

"H-hello, Ryohei. Is something…"

"SAWADA, MY DAD'S COMPANY JUST GOT EXTREMELY TAKEN OVER! HE'S EXTREMELY MOVING TO ITALY TO LOOK OVER THE MERGING!" Ryohei shouted.

"Oh, please don't tell me…"

"WITH THE VONGOLA CORPORATION! SAWADA, WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Ryohei shouted. There was a muffled shout from his side of the line.

"DAMMIT, RYOHEI! SHUT THE HELL UP! I'VE GOT A HEADACHE!"

"EXTREMELY SORRY, MOM!"

"APOLOGY EXTREMELY ACCEPTED!" Hanabi shouted back. Tsuna sweat dropped. '_They're so alike it's scary…'_ He thought.

"ANYWAY, SAWADA! WHAT IS EXTREMELY GOING ON?!" Ryohei continued, his volume not going down a notch. From the background, Tsuna heard muffled footsteps.

"RYOHEI, I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!" A very upset Hanabi roared. The next things that Tsuna heard were a rapid succession of crashes, numerous fragile items braking, and then the line cut off. '_Don't die, Ryohei…'_ Tsuna prayed.

"Who was on the phone, Tsuna?" Reborn asked casually. Tsuna turned on him, who was likely the cause of the incident.

"Reborn, _what did you do?_" Tsuna asked angrily. Reborn pouted.

"Geez, Tsuna. Why is it that every time something mafia related happens around here, it's my fault? Bullet holes in the wall? Reborn. Lambo found tied up in the closet? Reborn. I'm getting sick of this, Decimo," Reborn said, crossing his arms firmly. He almost sounded _sincere_.

"S-sorry, Reborn. It just seemed like something that you'd do…"

"Oh, I did do it. I'm just insulted that I automatically take the blame," Reborn confessed.

"Why did you do it, Reborn? I specifically told you I _wasn't _bringing all my Guardians to Italy!"

"Orders are orders, Dame-Tsuna,"

"What?"

"I did this on the Nono's orders. Before he died, he told me to make sure your Guardians came to Italy whether you liked it or not," Reborn stated matter-of-factly.

"Well, I don't care! I want you to undo all of it; my Guardians don't have to come with me!"

"Too late, Decimo; all the preparations have been made. You and your Guardians will be in the air on the way to Italy in two weeks," Reborn told him. Tsuna clenched his fists in anger. Without saying a word, he stalked away. Reborn lowered his fedora over his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Decimo," He said silently.

_

* * *

_

Two weeks later, at Namimori Airport…

Everything was prepared. Everything of value packed up, goodbyes said, and situations explained. Yamamoto was just hoping they had baseball in Italy, and Ryohei still didn't really get it, of course. Somehow, Reborn had been able to convince Hibari to come, but Tsuna was afraid to ask how. Now, the (extended) Sawada family was arriving at the airport, their belongings packed up and ready to go. By the time Tsuna arrived, all the other Guardians were already there in a group. Gokudera and Haru, who were speaking in hushed tones to one another, Yamamoto, Ryohei, Chrome, Ken, Chikusa, M.M, a small blonde boy who Tsuna didn't recognize, (A/N Guess who?) Hibari, standing away from all the others with a death glare plastered on his face, Hana, there to say goodbye to Kyoko, and Kyoko, who was looking at Tsuna with a glare that rivaled Hibari's. Tsuna gulped. She'd still be expecting an explanation. He trotted up to the others, his bag over his shoulder.

"Good morning, Decimo!" Gokudera greeted him, making sure to avert his eyes from Bianchi, who was not wearing her goggles.

"Good morning, Gokudera-kun. Did you take care of all the, uh…" He said, hoping that Gokudera would understand that he was asking if he had any dynamite on his body.

"Don't worry, Decimo! I am certain that there is not a stick of dynamite left on my body!" Gokudera swore, saluting. Tsuna breathed a sigh of relief. That's one problem down.

"Ohayo, Tsuna-san! Can I ask you a favor, ~desu?" Haru asked him, waving happily. Tsuna nodded.

"I want you to make sure that Goku-chan doesn't get too friendly with any pretty Italian girls while I'm gone, okay?" Haru said. Gokudera turned pink.

"Don't call me…"

"_Goku-chan?!_" Yamamoto repeated. He and Ryohei both burst out laughing. Gokudera turned even redder.

"That's why I asked you not to call me that in public…" Gokudera mumbled. '_My kingdom for a pistol with one bullet,'_ He thought.

"Okay, I'll do what I can, Haru," Tsuna promised.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Goku-chan will be faithful!" Yamamoto said in between fits of laughter. This caused Ryohei to laugh even louder.

"SHUT UP, BASEBALL-IDIOT!" Gokudera shouted, reaching for a stick of dynamite that he did not have.

"Okay, Goku-chan," Yamamoto said. Gokudera started shouting nonsensically at him. Tsuna chuckled at the exchange between the two, but was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see that it was Hana.

"Oh, Hana-san. Do you need something?" He asked. Hana usually didn't talk to him much, so occurrences like this were a rarity.

"Yeah. C'mon, Sawada, walk with me for a second," Hana said, pulling him away from the group.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

"I'll go get our luggage checked, dear. Bianchi, Lambo, Reborn, can you lend me a hand?" Nana asked, taking hold of their luggage. It was mostly their clothes; the rest was being sent to them through the mail.

"Are you sure? I'd be glad to help out, Nana…" Iemitsu offered. Nana shook her head, smiling.

"Don't worry, I'll be just fine with it," She assured him. To prove it, she easily set off towards the doors with both hers and Iemitsu's luggage. Bianchi, Lambo, and Reborn followed her. Iemitsu smiled at his wife's strength.

"HELLO, MITSU-CHAN!" was the shout that broke him from his thoughts. And it was yelled from right next to his ear.

"Nice to see you, too, Tsuyoshi. Did you have to yell?" Iemitsu asked the shouter, Yamamoto Tsuyoshi. Tsuyoshi laughed.

"You looked like you were spacing out, so I decided to bring you back. Is there anything wrong with that?" He asked innocently. Iemitsu grinned, then vigorously shook his friend's hand.

"What brings you here today, Tsuyoshi?" Iemitsu asked. Tsuyoshi laughed again, but this laugh had a bit more of an edge to it.

"Like you don't know, Mitsu-chan," He accused, his face becoming incredibly serious in a heartbeat, "My shop got bought out, and I was hired as _personal sushi chef_ to the executives at the Vongola Corporation in Italy. And I'm pretty damn sure that they don't intend for me to be cooking any sushi."

"I'm sorry. I don't think that they do," Iemitsu confessed, looking ashamed. Tsuyoshi gritted his teeth in anger, and lashed out with his fist at a nearby pillar. It left a spider web of cracks where he punched, but the ring marked CEDEF on his hand remained unscathed.

"God _dammit_, Iemitsu, I'm not an assassin anymore. Not since Mitsuki…" Tsuyoshi choked back tears. Iemitsu placed a condoling hand on his shoulder.

"HELLO, MITSU-CHAN!" Another voice shouted in Iemitsu's other ear. Tsuyoshi's shout was incomparable to this one.

"Hello, Hanabi. Could we please use our inside voices?" Iemitsu asked the owner of the voice. It was Sasagawa Hanabi, along with a man standing by her side.

"BUT WE'RE EXTREMELY OUTSIDE, MORON!" Hanabi shouted back. The man standing next to her, a short, slightly wide man with thinning auburn hair slightly edged with grey, sighed.

"I think that he's trying to tell you to stop shouting, dear…" He told Hanabi.

"He is? Oh. WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY SO?!" She shouted at Iemitsu, completely disregarding her husband's notice. He face-palmed.

"How've you been, Toumaru?" Iemitsu asked him, shaking his hand. Sasagawa Toumaru smiled.

"I've been better, thanks. Of course, my company just got merged, well, I should say _taken over_, by the Vongola, so I could be better," Toumaru, said accusingly. Iemitsu raised his hands.

"Hey, don't blame me, it was Reborn who did it," He said, trying to shift the blame off of himself.

"Iemitsu-san, we left the Vongola when Ryohei was born. Please realize we have no intention of coming back," Toumaru stated firmly. In the past, Toumaru had been a foreign businessman working for the Vongola Famiglia, taking care of some of their more legal business ventures. It was through the Famiglia that he had met Hanabi.

"Damn STRAIGHT!" Hanabi added on. Hanabi had been born in Italy; her father was Italian, a direct descendent of Knuckle, the Primo's Serena Guardian, and her mother was Japanese, and a legendary kick-boxer. Hanabi had learned the dealings of the Mafia from her father, and about kick-boxing from her mother, becoming a master-class fighter at the age of just thirteen. She had joined CEDEF, and became known as the "White Haired Whirlwind".

"I agree," Tsuyoshi noted, crossing his arms defiantly. Tsuyoshi was a former member of the Vongola's independent assassin group, the Varia, along with his twin sister, Mitsuki, but upon meeting Iemitsu, joined CEDEF. When his sister was assassinated by a rival Famiglia, Tsuyoshi left CEDEF and moved back to Japan. He was a descendent of Asari Ugetsu, the Primo's Pioggia Guardian, and a legendary assassin, earning him the title "Silent Pouring Rain".

"I am fully aware of that fact," Iemitsu told them, "I'll see if I can make it so that none of you need return to duty." The others responded thankfully to his remark.

"…Okay, you got all that?" Hana finished. Tsuna nodded, cataloguing all the information that Hana had just given him for later use.

"Oi, Tsuna! We're ready to go!" Yamamoto called out. Their goodbyes had been said, and they were moving towards the door to the airport now.

"I'm coming!" Tsuna called out. He nodded thankfully to Hana, who in turn winked at him.

"Knock 'em dead, tiger. I expect some good news soon, ya hear?" She told him. Tsuna blushed, and then followed after the group.

"Bye, Hana-chan! I won't forget to write!" Kyoko called back, waving at her. Next to Hana, Haru was crying mock tears, and waving a white handkerchief in the air.

_

* * *

_

Later, at the security checkpoint of Aero Italia…

"Please remove all loose articles of clothing, jewelry, and shoes, and place them in the bin with your carry-on luggage, please," The man at the security checkpoint said to them. The Kokuyo group, led by Chrome, was in the front of the line, followed by the Yamamoto duo, the Sasagawas, Gokudera, and the Sawada group. Hibari was behind all of them. Chrome calmly put her bag and folded up trident in the bin, then rolled it through the detector. None of the security personnel seemed to notice it, Tsuna noted. Possibly due to an illusion. Chrome was about to step through the metal detector when she was stopped.

"Ma'am, will you please remove the eye-patch," the man said.

"Oh, right, I'm sorry…" Chrome said apologetically, and then took off her eye-patch. Her back was to the others, so they could not see, but the personnel, who could see what was under it, instantly turned white.

"P-p-please put it back on!" the man begged her, looking ready to wet his pants. '_Just what is under there?_' Tsuna wondered, his "what-the-crap" face on. There were some stifled chuckles from the Kokuyo group. Chrome replaced her eye-patch and passed through the detector without any problem. The same went for the rest of the Kokuyo group, surprisingly, as well as Yamamoto, his father, and the Sasagawas.

"Gokudera-kun, you're sure you got all of the dynamite?" Tsuna clarified with Gokudera quietly. Gokudera grinned as he took off his rings and placed them in the bin, the Tempesta Ring among them. He flashed a victory sign, then walked through the metal detector. It was set off. Gokudera paled.

"G-gokudera-kun, I thought you said…!"

"So did I, Decimo!"

"Sir, will you please step aside for a moment?" one of the personnel, brandishing a metal detector wand, asked the frightened Gokudera. He gulped. The wand was passed over his body, setting off on his lower legs. He was patted down, and when the item that set off the detector was located, the entire room went silent.

"BOMB! BOMB! HE'S GOT A BOMB!" the man who was searching Gokudera screamed. There was widespread panic, and security personnel literally came out of the woodwork and dragged Gokudera away.

"Don't worry about me, Decimo! I'll catch up!" Gokudera called out. Tsuna groaned. They hadn't even gotten on the plane yet, and Gokudera was already in trouble.

"Ara, how mischievous… Gokudera was trying to sneak a firework onto the plane…" Nana noted naively. Tsuna groaned again.

"Gyuhaihaihai! Don Lambo is going first!" Lambo called out, running forward ahead of the others. He passed through easily, since his hair had been thoroughly brushed prior to the flight, yielding about two dozen pink grenades three .45 pistols, an assault rifle, an RPG, the Ten-Year Bazooka, the Fulmine Ring, three lollipops and half a peanut butter sandwich("The kid has more weaponry in his hair than most commandos do on their entire body… Jesus…" Iemitsu had noted). Now, in Tsuna's opinion, the only other problem would be Reborn. Who was nowhere in sight. Which was never a good thing.

"Hey, where'd Reborn go? And Bianchi?" Tsuna wondered, finally noticing that the two had vanished at some point.

"Oh, they'll be fine. Tsuna, hurry up; we'll miss the flight," Iemitsu told him.

_

* * *

_

Later…

"Now boarding, flight A27, nonstop to Rome. Now loading zone one," The PA droned. Tsuna glanced at his ticket. It was a first class ticket, zone one.

"Uwah, Tsuna. Isn't it such a coincidence that all your friends are moving to Italy as well?" Nana told her son as they walked towards the doors. She had struck up a conversation with Hanabi while waiting, making fast friends. Through that conversation, she had learned that the Sasagawas were not only moving to Italy as well, but to the same neighborhood as the Sawadas. Coincidence? Nah.

"I-I know, right?" Tsuna replied, a bead of sweat rolling down the back of his head. The Kokuyo group and the Yamamotos had boarded the plane in front of them, and the Sasagawas were getting their tickets checked.

"Sasagawa Toumaru… Sasagawa Hanabi… Sasagawa Ryohei… Sasagawa Kyokuten… Okay, all here. Enjoy your flight," The woman who was checking the tickets bade them.

"Kyoko's full name is _Kyokuten_?" Tsuna whispered to himself, "I guess it was Ryohei's idea."

"DECIMO! I'M BACK!" A voice called out to Tsuna. Tsuna turned to see it was Gokudera, running full speed with his bag slung over his shoulder.

"That was quick. How'd you get out of there?" Tsuna asked, slightly afraid to hear the answer. Gokudera grinned, and pointed at the Tempesta Ring on his finger.

"Being a top member of the strongest Famiglia in Italy has it's perks, Decimo," He said proudly.

_

* * *

_

A few minutes later…

Tsuna was frozen. Whether he was frozen with fear or excitement, he had no idea. Maybe a little bit of both. The plane had been boarded without problems, but now Tsuna was just staring at the person sitting next to him in a two-seat section, his companion for the next few hours. A companion that made his heart flutter, but was now making it thump in fear.

"Well, Tsuna-kun? Are you going to sit down?" Sasagawa Kyokuten asked, venom dripping from her voice.

"Erm… y-yes…" Tsuna replied. He gulped. Kyoko was still expecting an explanation.

This was going to be a long trip.

* * *

So sorry that I took so long. My laptop's power cord bit the dust, and I had to wait a while to get a new one, which prevented me from continuing my story at all. Now, though, I am back in business. Booyah.

So, what were your opinions on this chapter? I know it's kind of short, but I just wanted to get something out quickly. I think it may be needing a rewrite when the time allows, but for now…

Anyway, thanks to someone (LITERALLY) for telling me the real names of the Primo's Serena and Pioggia Guardians. At the time that I wrote it, I thought they hadn't been named yet, so I just gave them names.

Also, regarding Kyoko's name, Kyokuten. Yes, that is just pure conjecture. But, hey, they sound so similar, it was almost freaky. Yes. Kyokuten = EXTREME. I thought it was funny… no wonder she goes by Kyoko, huh?

Next chapter, Tsuna must decide whether or not to tell Kyoko the truth, but will he suffer Ryohei's wrath for it? Stay tuned.

Oh, and review please.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own KHR. I do, however, claim any OCs I have made.

Chapter 5

_Tsuna was frozen. Whether he was frozen with fear or excitement, he had no idea. Maybe a little bit of both. The plane had been boarded without problems, but now Tsuna was just staring at the person sitting next to him in a two-seat section, his companion for the next few hours. A companion that made his heart flutter, but was now making it thump in fear. _

"_Well, Tsuna-kun? Are you going to sit down?" Sasagawa Kyokuten asked, venom dripping from her voice._

"_Erm… y-yes…" Tsuna replied. He gulped. Kyoko was still expecting an explanation._

_This was going to be a long trip._

* * *

"Well? Sit down," Kyoko told him, sweet venom dripping from her voice. Tsuna gulped again, and rapidly thought of an excuse.

"Uh… I have to… G-go talk to the pilot about something!" Tsuna stammered, high-tailing it towards the cockpit. He let out a breath, leaning against the door to the cockpit as he thought up something to tell Kyoko. Behind him, the door opened, causing Tsuna to bump into someone coming out of the cockpit.

"Do you need something, sir?" A voice that sounded all too familiar to Tsuna said. Tsuna slowly turned around to have his fears confirmed. It was Bianchi, wearing a pilot's uniform.

"B-Bianchi?!"

"Hm? I'm sorry, you must be mistaking me for someone else," She said, waving a hand to dismiss his claim. Tsuna lifted an eyebrow in doubt.

"Gokudera-kun? Could you come here, please?" Tsuna called back.

"YES, DECIMO! I'm…" Gokudera shouted, shooting up from his seat a few rows back and rushing to Tsuna's side. When he arrived, he stopped dead. His face turned a pale shade of green, and his eyes widened with fear.

"B-Bianchi!" He groaned, and fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. '_I'm sorry, Gokudera-kun. I'll make it up to you later, I swear…_' Tsuna thought as Bianchi rushed forward and took Gokudera into her arms.

"Hayato, are you okay?" She asked, making sure he could see her face, which only worsened his condition, "Is there a doctor on this plane?! Hurry!" She called out, not thinking for a second of taking Gokudera off the plane.

"YESSSS! I'M A DOCTOR, BIANCHIIIII!" An Italian man with short dark hair shouted joyfully, jumping up and rushing to her side. He ran straight into her fist.

"Besides you, Shamal," Bianchi clarified. Doctor Shamal pouted.

"Shamal? What are you doing here?" Tsuna asked. Shamal stood up and brushed himself off.

"Wherever Bianchi goes, I go!" He said proudly, and then, "Ah, bonjour, mon cheri…" as he followed a passing stewardess like a lost puppy. '_So loyal…_' Tsuna thought, then another thought dawned on him.

"Wait, if Bianchi is here, then that must mean that…"

"What's all this commotion?" An annoyingly high pitched voice said from the cockpit. Bianchi let go of Gokudera promptly, letting his head slam down onto the floor. As soon as Bianchi left his line of sight, Gokudera quickly recovered and scampered away as fast as he could, shouting apologies to Tsuna.

Bianchi, however, scooped up the owner of the voice in her arms and then turned back to Tsuna.

"Thank you, Beatriz. Now, do you need any help, young man?"

"REBORN!" Tsuna shouted. Sitting in Bianchi's arms was the unmistakable home tutor hitman, Reborn, dressed in a pilot's uniform similar to Bianchi's. He cocked his head in confusion.

"Reborn? Sorry, never heard of him. I am Captain Robert Edwards Bourne, and this," He gestured towards Bianchi, "Is my sexy co-pilot, Beatriz Ianchi." Bianchi swooned.

"Ah, captain! So naughty!" She said gleefully, nuzzling the small child closer to herself.

"Oh, am I, my dear?" Reborn clarified, and soon made a scene that made Tsuna sick to his stomach. He and Bianchi literally began making out. Tsuna threw up in his mouth a little. Reborn paused in his actions for a moment to look at Tsuna.

"Do you _mind_?" He asked, then returned to his work.

"Okay, you are obviously going to be no help," Tsuna grumbled, walking away from the slightly disturbing scene. '_Well, I guess I'm on my own for this one,_' He thought, trying his best to forget what had just happened. He sat down next to Kyoko, fully prepared for what was going to happen.

"Well? What did you need to ask the captain about?" Kyoko asked him. Tsuna shrugged.

"Nothing. He was, well, busy, anyway," Tsuna shuddered. He was silent. Kyoko was just looking at him expectantly. There was silence for a few more minutes, even after the plane had left the ground and arrived at cruising altitude. Finally, Kyoko lost her patience.

"Tsuna-kun, why aren't you talking?" She asked him.

"Because I know what you want to talk about," Tsuna replied.

"Tsuna-kun, I'm not asking you to get me involved with… whatever it is, I'm just asking you to tell me the _truth_," She told him. Tsuna smirked. "What's so funny?"

"Kyoko-chan, if I was to tell you about what was going on, then no matter what, you would get involved," He told her.

"Just tell me,"

"Your life will be put in danger,"

"I'll be fine."

"There's no turning back,"

"I'm ready for it,"

"Your brother will probably kill me for telling you," Tsuna realized, wincing. He had nearly forgotten about that.

"He's asleep," Kyoko said, pointing to Ryohei, who was in the row behind them, snoring loudly, "He gets airsick, so we keep him tranquilized during the flight," She explained, "Plus, his shouting always gets on people's nerves."

"I-I see…" Tsuna said, "You've been on flights before?" Kyoko punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Don't change the subject, Tsuna-kun. Just tell me," She told him, looking mighty displeased. Tsuna sighed. He'd made up his mind. He would tell Kyoko the truth about everything, about the Mafia, about Reborn, about the Ring Battles, consequences be damned. She had a right to know, and she wouldn't let him be until he told her the truth.

"Alright, I'll tell you," He said, defeated. Kyoko smiled.

"In the beginning, of course, it was all Reborn's fault…" He started.

_

* * *

_

Later…

"…And now, I've been officially selected as the Boss of the Vongola Famiglia," He finished. He had been talking for almost an hour, explaining everything in explicit detail to Kyoko, who was drinking up every word he said. Whether she believed him or not was a different story.

"Then why are we all here with you?" She asked. She had asked him numerous questions during the explanation, all of which he had answered to the best of his ability.

"Also Reborn's fault. Traditionally, all the Guardians must come with their Boss to the Vongola Complex in Italy, which is where we're heading now. I didn't want to involve all of you, but Reborn had different ideas, of course," Tsuna explained.

"And Onii-san is the… Serena Guardian?"

"Yep,"

"Gokudera is Tempesta, Lambo-chan is Fulmine, Yamamoto is Pioggia, you're Cielo, Drome-chan…"

"Chrome,"

"Chrome-chan is Nebbia, and Hibari is Nuvola?"

"Bingo," Tsuna said.

"Where is Hibari, by the way?"

"I think he claimed one of the bathrooms and hasn't come out since. Shows how much he hates crowds," Tsuna laughed. Kyoko joined in. A thought occurred to her.

"Does this mean we have to call you the Don now?" She asked, smiling. Tsuna blushed.

"N-no… Just Tsuna is fine…" He replied, glad that she was taking it so well.

_

* * *

_

Earlier…

"Excuse me, stewardess?" Iemitsu called out. A stewardess promptly arrived at his seat.

"How may I help you, sir?" She asked politely.

"Yes, I'd just like to ask a favor of you. You see that woman with the white spiky hair?" Iemitsu asked, motioning to Hanabi who was happily chatting with Nana behind him. The stewardess nodded.

"I'd like you to make sure that she does not receive a single drop of alcohol," Iemitsu said, seriousness etched on his face.

"I'm sorry, sir, but it is against our policy to prevent any customer from…" The stewardess started, but Iemitsu slipped her a thousand yen bill (A/N About ten USD). The stewardess looked at the money for a moment, then slipped it into her pocket.

"I'll see what I can do, sir," She said, policy thrown out the window. Meanwhile, behind him, Hanabi was trying to remember something.

'_I have this weird feeling that I'm forgetting something… Something about Tsuna…_' She thought. She was trying to remember that she had sworn to make Tsuna's face concave earlier, when she was drunk and believed there to be something between him and her daughter, but when the alcohol wore off, she had forgotten completely.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

"Oi, baseball-idiot, what is that you're reading?" Gokudera asked impolitely. He had been forced to sit next to Yamamoto, who was reading a book fervently.

"Italian for Dummies. If we're moving to Italy, I'm gonna have to speak the language, right?" Yamamoto said, grinning. Gokudera scoffed.

"Do you really think that you can learn Italian during one plane ride?" He said.

"Who knows…" Yamamoto said in Italian, a huge grin on his face. Gokudera's jaw dropped.

"Wh-wh-what the hell?! You've been reading that book for _five minutes_!"

Yamamoto laughed.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile (Again)…

"YOSH! IT'S EXTREMELY TIME TO FLY!" Ryohei shouted. He had not received his tranquilizer yet.

"Ryohei, hold still, please…" His father asked him, brandishing a needle, unbeknownst to his son. When the needle pierced Ryohei's arm, his eyes took on a glassy look.

"Extreme…" He mumbled, as unconsciousness overtook him. He was out like a lamp.

_

* * *

_

Back to the present…

"Oi! Stewardess!" Hanabi called out. The same stewardess that Iemitsu had spoken to earlier came forward, rolling a drink cart.

"May I help you, ma'am?" She asked politely.

"Yes, I'd like some sake, please," Hanabi said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am, I'm afraid we're all out," The stewardess lied, remembering the thousand yen she had gotten from Iemitsu.

"Oh, I'm sure you have _some_thing…" Hanabi said slyly, slipping the stewardess _two _one thousand yen bills. The stewardess appraised them for a moment, before deciding that it was no skin off her nose.

"Oh, wait, I was wrong. Here you go," The stewardess said, handing Hanabi a small glass of sake.

"Pleasure doing business with you," Hanabi said, drinking greedily. By the time she had finished drinking the small glass, she was already drunk.

"Ara, Hanabi-san, you really shouldn't be getting drunk…" Nana said to her. Iemitsu, who had been taking a nap, woke up when he heard this. '_Oh, crap,_' He thought. Tsuna was probably doomed.

At that moment, Hanabi remembered.

"Ah, dat's it!" Hanabi slurred, stumbling to her feet and tottering towards Iemitsu's seat. He broke out into a sweat.

"You little… *hic* disreshpectful… *hic* brat…" She said slowly.

"W-wait, Hanabi! You've got the wrong…!" Iemitsu started, finally realizing that she had mistaken him for his son. Too late. She was already pulling back her fist for a punch.

"GRAH!" She screamed, wildly swinging at Iemitsu. Thankfully, in her drunken stupor, she greatly misjudged the distances between them, and missed Iemitsu by a hair. The punch threw her off balance, and she toppled to the floor. She was asleep. Iemitsu groaned.

_

* * *

_

Much later…

"Flight attendants, prepare for landing," A high pitched voice said through the speakers. Tsuna woke up. He had fallen asleep not too long ago, and his head was now resting on something that smelled nearly heavenly, and was auburn colored. Tsuna gulped. Then panic set in. While he and Kyoko had slept, her head had come to rest on his shoulder, and his head leaned against hers. Suddenly, Tsuna was very glad that both Ryohei and Hanabi were unconscious.

Much to Tsuna's displeasure, Kyoko began to stir. He berated himself for being disappointed. Then, something happened that made his day for the rest of the month.

Kyoko's unconsciousness held onto her, and she drifted back to sleep, but not before she nuzzled closer to her source of warmth and wrapped her arms around it. The name of said heat source kind of sounded like "tuna".

'_God, Buddha, whoever's listening… I'll never doubt you again!_' Tsuna thought, weeping tears of joy. His joy was cut short when the plane his a nasty bump of turbulence. Kyoko woke with a jolt, and there was no chance of her unconsciousness returning to her. When she realized what her current position was, she jumped back.

"Oh, sorry, Tsuna-kun! I was asleep, and I just…" She said, her face turning pink.

"I-it's okay, Kyoko-chan…" Tsuna replied, a mixture of glad and upset that she had let go. There was an awkward silence between the two for the next few minutes until the plane touched down.

"Thank you for flying Aero Italia. The time in Rome is now about ten in the morning. Please enjoy your visit to this glorious city," Reborn's voice said throughout the cabin as the plane slowed to a stop.

_

* * *

_

Later…

"Dad, how are we getting to the Vongola Complex?" Tsuna asked as he wheeled his luggage through the airport.

"They should have sent a chauffeur here to meet us," Iemitsu replied, watching an excited Lambo running ahead, hyper from the past several hours on a plane.

"What're we going to do about Lambo, anyway?" Tsuna asked again. Iemitsu smiled at his question.

"He's got somebody to look after him; an old friend of mine. She's…"

"ZIA OTAVIO!" The small child screamed, running ahead so fast he was a black and white blur. The object he collided with groaned as he latched onto her head.

"Yare, yare. Ten seconds in, and I already regret deciding to take care of the little vitello," The woman groaned. She was in her mid to late thirties, with short black hair down to her shoulders, braided in the back, and her left eye was shut. Upon seeing her, Tsuna nearly mistook her for the twenty year old Lambo that had appeared during the Ring Battle. The man next to her laughed.

"Hey, he's your nephew, Otavio," He said. He was around the same age as Otavio, with silvery gray hair, close cut to his head. He had a burning cigarette in his mouth.

"Stuff it, Cesare."

"You'd enjoy it."

"Pervert."

"I hear no complaints from you."

"Hey, there're kids present, dumbass," Otavio told him.

"Dumbass! Dumbass!" Lambo mimicked. Otavio groaned again, then tried to pull the small child off of her head.

"Not that I'm not glad to see you too, vitello, but I don't have any candy on me," Otavio informed him. Lambo pouted, and loosened his grip from his aunt's head to fall back down to the ground. At that moment, Gokudera and Bianchi rounded the corner and saw the silver haired man named Cesare. Gokudera's jaw dropped.

"Z-ZIO CESARE?!" He screamed, incredibly shocked.

"Hey, brat. How ya doin'?" Cesare Gokudera responded casually, puffing out some smoke.

"A-AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE _DEAD?!_"

"I got better," Cesare shrugged. Bianchi greeted him more casually.

"Ciao, zio. How have you been?" Bianchi asked him, giving him the traditional greeting of a kiss to the air beside his head. He repeated the action.

"I've been well, Bianchi. And you?"

"It's been alright. I'm glad to be back in Italy, however," Bianchi responded, "Oh, and hello, Zia Otavio. How are you?" She said, addressing the woman who had finally peeled the small child from her head.

"Not 'zia' yet. Of course, I _would_ be if _someone_ would work up the nuts to _ask the damn question_," She stated, glaring daggers at Cesare, her lover of ten years.

"I will propose when I am good and ready, woman!"

"'Good and ready' has taken _ten damn years_!"

"Are you saying I'm taking too long?!" The two continued to argue, literally going toe to toe in a full blown shouting match. At some point, it devolved into a session of making out between the two. Lambo made retching sounds.

"Wait, _what_?! Not only is he alive, he's with the cow-moron's _aunt_?!" Gokudera shouted.

"Ara, didn't I tell you?" Bianchi stated innocently.

"_No, you didn't tell me_!" Gokudera continued to scream.

"Zio Cesare, do you mind if we meet you at the car?" Bianchi asked.

"No problem," Cesare told her.

"And take the vitello with you," Otavio added on, picking up Lambo by the head and handing him to her.

"Oi, brat, your father sends his regards," Cesare added, talking to Gokudera's back.

"Like I care," Gokudera responded, "WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE COMPLEX, DECIMO!" He called to Tsuna, following Bianchi to the parking lot.

"We'll go find the chauffeur, dear. Tsu-kun, help me with the bags," Nana told Iemitsu. Tsuna picked up his father's bags and followed her outside. Reborn was once again perched on his head. Iemitsu went to meet with his old friends, who were "arguing" again.

"Hey, get a room, you two," Iemitsu laughed. A vein popped on Cesare's forehead.

"That joke has really gotten old, Mitsu-chan," He responded, breaking his lip-lock with Otavio.

"So has that nickname. Why does everyone keep calling me that?" Iemitsu responded.

"So, that kid's the new boss?" Otavio clarified, regarding Tsuna. Iemitsu nodded.

"That kid's gonna need a lotta luck," Cesare said. Then, without warning, his hand shot out and snatched something out of the air, crushing it. Upon inspection, it was a mosquito, with a three-pronged nose.

"So, you're here too, Shamal," Cesare growled at the newcomer. Shamal was standing a fair distance away, his hands tucked casually in his pockets, a swarm of mosquitoes buzzing around him.

"Got hired as the school nurse at Mafia Accademia. Good pay, cute Italian girls…" Shamal began to count on his fingers, "Oh, and _bien venieu_, Otavio~!" He shouted suddenly, blowing a kiss in her direction. Otavio pointed her index finger at him. An arc of green lightning shot out of the tip, and left a small burn mark on Shamal's jacket, directly over his heart.

"If I had my Set right now, you'd be dead, womanizer," She said calmly.

"As much as I would love to chat with the loveliest member of the Bovino Famiglia, I currently have a bastard to kill," Shamal said, and without even saying anything, the swarm of mosquitoes around him flew straight at Cesare, moving in random patterns. Cesare stared them down, and pulled a pair of pistols out of his sleeves.

"Not a chance," Was all he said before opening fire. In under a second, every mosquito that had flown at him was struck by small air soft pellets (Cesare wouldn't have actually packed his real pistols for a trip to the airport; just air soft guns would be enough.) and fell to the ground, twitching. Fifty shots, fifty targets, fifty hits.

Shamal took advantage of this time to jump up, taking out a small scalpel that he had been carrying in his luggage, and make an aerial lunge at Cesare with it. In the air, a ring on his right hand lit up with a crimson flame, which spread like wildfire, then concentrated around the blade of the scalpel, shooting out and forming a long flame blade.

"Oh, you _really_ wanna go, huh?" Cesare crowed, his two rings, one on each hand, both marked CEDEF, lighting up with a crimson flame, wreathing around his guns, being absorbed by them. Cesare aimed them at Shamal.

"Shouldn't we stop them?" Otavio suggested. Iemitsu sighed.

"Fine, fine," He said. He picked up his right foot, and kicked the ground. An orange wave spread out from where he hit the ground, then two blunt rock spikes shot up, one each near Cesare and Shamal. Near Cesare, it shot up from behind him, at a forty five degree angle, and hit him in the back of the head with such force that he fell over. The other spike reached all the way up to Shamal, striking him in the gut, knocking the air out of his lungs. It was over in a second. Iemitsu snapped his fingers, and the rocks retracted back into the ground, as if nothing had happened. None of the passerby seemed to notice this happening, as if it was a common occurrence.

"Refresh my memory; why do they hate each other again?" Iemitsu asked Otavio. She shrugged.

_

* * *

_

In a strange locale

…

The frightened looking man shakily kissed the man in the throne's ring. Out of respect or fear, he didn't know.

"Do you have it?" The man asked coldly.

"Y-yes, Ser Dragone. I found it. I-it wasn't easy… Ser Dragone Primo protected it well… Dozens of traps, sir…" The scared man whimpered, pulling out a small leather sack. It clinked as it moved. The other man, Dragone, snatched it and observed the contents.

"Good," He said.

"Th-thank you, sir. Now, please, my family…" The man begged. Dragone had kidnapped his wife and daughter, and promised to free them in exchange for his services in locating a special item.

"Have you sworn Omerta?" Dragone asked him.

"Y-yes, sir…" The man replied.

"Good. You'll be reunited with your family soon enough, don't worry," Dragone reassured him maliciously.

"Wh-where are they?!" The man begged, terrified by the look in Dragone's eyes. Moving too fast to be seen, Dragone took out his broadsword and drove it through the man's skull.

"The bottom of the Mediterranean," He replied, pulling out the sword. He turned to the man standing next to him.

"Clean up this mess and begin the forging process," He ordered, handing the bag to him. The man bowed, and left. A pair of men came out to clear out the body and dispose of it. Soon, Dragone was alone in the dark room.

"Kehehe… Soon, Vongola, Soon…. Kehehe…"

* * *

Chapter 5 End

Vitello – Calf

Zio – Uncle

Zia – Aunt

A/N Now things start moving. This chapter has a lot of stuff in it. There's some romance (I think), some action, some suspense, and Reborn and Bianchi making out. I apologize. Hopefully, when reading it, you didn't claw out your eyes in disgust. If you find you have the urge, however, please have do it _after_ reviewing. Thank you for your consideration.

This chapter marks the first appearance of Cesare Gokudera, Gokudera and Bianchi's uncle, and Otavio Bovino, Lambo's aunt. Both are current members of CEDEF. For those who are observant, you will remember that Lambo did in fact once mention Aunt Otavio, when the Ten Year Bazooka malfunctioned and switched his size with fifteen year old Lambo. I just decided to put her in here.

I really hope the characters aren't too OOC. I'm trying to keep them IC, I swear…

Anyhoo, hope you enjoyed. REVIEW. Please.


	7. Chapter 6

I forgot to mention. This story completely disregards the events of the latest arc in the manga. I keep on forgetting to mention that. I'm so much of an airhead, if you put a needle to my head, I'd pop.

Disclaimer: I am guilty of not owning the un-manga KHR. I do, however, lay claim to my OCs, *deep breath* Gio, Belladonna, Hanabi, Toumaru, Otavio (to some extent), Cesare, the Dragone Famiglia, Speckles – Uh, forget I said that! Please!

* * *

Chapter 6

When Tsuna saw it, his jaw dropped. When Hibari saw it, he didn't really care. Yamamoto whistled. Kyoko wowed. Ryohei shouted something that rhymes with "trireme". Gokudera was unimpressed. Chrome's (one) eye widened. Lambo picked his nose.

"Get your finger out of your nose, vitello," Otavio ordered. Gokudera, Bianchi, Lambo, Cesare, and Otavio had taken the same car, a stretched black Hummer that was Cesare's pride and joy. Cesare was driving, with Otavio in the passenger seat, and the others sat in the back. Each of the other guardians had taken a different limo. The one which Hibari had been riding in had broken off from the rest a while back.

As for what so impressed the Decimo Famiglia, it was their first full view of the Vongola Complex. There were five mansions, arranged as if it were a cul-de-sac, with the Vongola Mansion the largest among them. In the center of the cul-de-sac was a large fountain, with mist rolling off the water. On each of the other mansions was a symbol marking the Guardian whose house it was.

At the far left, the Fulmine Manor. It appeared to be a farm house, except on a much grander scale. The picture was completed by rolling green hills, with cattle grazing there calmly. The Fulmine Crest, a lightning bolt, was carved over the door.

Next to it was the Tempesta Manor, which was practically a copy of the Vongola Mansion next to it, on a smaller scale. The Tempesta Crest was located on the front lawn, where the trees and bushes had been pruned to have the appearance of a tornado.

To the right of the Vongola Mansion was the Serena Manor, which looked like it had been carved out of a church. The front looked like a church, with a steeple and a stained glass window, with the yellow Serena Crest built into it. The rest of the manor had a more suburban feel to it, as if the church part had been added on after the manor was built.

On the far right, the Pioggia Manor stuck out like a sore thumb. It was a large, Japanese manor, with blue roofs. The Pioggia Crest, a raindrop, was carved into every pillar.

'_Wait… One, two, three, four… five?_' Tsuna thought, confused. There were two manors missing, the Nuvola and Nebbia.

"Where are the Nuvola and Nebbia Manors?" Tsuna asked the chauffeur in Italian. The man smiled.

"The Nebbia Manor is underneath us, Ser Decimo," He responded politely, pointing towards the fountain. Tsuna noticed that there was a stairway in front of the fountain, heading down.

"And the Nuvola?"

"You can see it on a clear day with a very good pair of binoculars, sir," The chauffeur answered, pointing to the mountains in the distance, "…Or is it that way?" He said to himself, looking in the opposite direction.

"By the way, Reborn, how did you manage to convince Hibari?" Tsuna asked the home tutor hitman lounging next to him. A bubble was inflating and deflating on his nose, as if he were asleep, but his eyes were wide open, as always.

"Tsuna, believe me when I say this: You don't want to know," He responded, still asleep. He may have been awake, but it was very hard to tell. In the meanwhile, Nana was marveling at their new home.

"Uwaaah… It's huge…" She said, as if it were not obvious.

"That's the mansion of the executive traffic director!" Iemitsu said, pride evident in his voice.

'_Does she actually buy that?_' Tsuna wondered to himself, deadpanning.

"Well, I guess I'll be busy cleaning…" She remarked.

"There is no need for that, ma'am. There are servants who are paid to do that," The chauffeur told her in Italian. Tsuna noted that he was wearing an earpiece, similar to the one Reborn had given him on the Nono's deathbed.

"…What did he say?" Nana asked, clueless. Tsuna sighed.

_

* * *

_

The Fulmine Manor… Later…

"Well, all the vitello's stuff is where it should be, locks have been locked where needed, and servants have been warned not to give him sweets… All check," Otavio sighed. Now that she was done settling into the place that would be her home until the vitello was mature enough to take care of himself (which, she knew, would take awhile), she could think about other things: Mainly, getting some food and finding some opportunity to "visit" Cesare.

Otavio prioritized the first thought, and set a course for the dining room to get some munchies. When she arrived, there was somebody already there, and he wasn't a servant. Like her, he had one eye closed and had an empty glass in front of him, a milk moustache on his upper lip. He looked up when she entered.

"Ara, evening, Zia Otavio," Fifteen-Year-Old Lambo said. Otavio just stared at him.

"…Who are you?" She finally asked. Lambo sighed.

"It's Lambo. Ten years later," He added. Otavio's open eye twitched.

"Why are you here?" She asked firmly. He shrugged.

"Most likely, one of the servants didn't give the younger me any candy when he… I?... Asked for it, so I flipped out and used the Ten Year Bazooka. At least, I suppose," Lambo remarked. Now a vein popped on Otavio's forehead.

"How many times has this happened?" She asked, now slightly enraged. Lambo didn't notice.

"Well… Probably about…" He paused, and started counting on his fingers. Then his toes. "Could I borrow your hands for a minute?"

"Okay, two things: One, don't expect to be coming back here much more," Otavio alerted him.

"Good. Little me has a tendency of popping up unexpectedly," Lambo sighed, thinking of the numerous times he had been interrupted on missions and duties by himself.

"And two," Otavio began, a blush creeping onto her face, "Does Cesare ever work up the guts to, you know…" She began to wiggle her ring finger, the one that was not occupied by a CEDEF ring. Lambo smiled.

"Oh, Zio Cesare? Well, actually…" Lambo began, but was cut short by a poof of pink smoke. Five minutes had passed, and he had been switched back. The normal Lambo looked around expectantly.

"Aww, man. No candy for Don Lambo," He lamented, then grinned. "Well, better try again!" He shouted, pulling the purple bazooka out of his afro. Otavio had an inner battle as to whether or not to let him do it. Finally, the logical side won out, and she snatched the bazooka from his hands before he could fire it.

"No, unfortunately," She said, regretting not hearing the answer to her question.

"Ah! That's Don Lambo's! Give it back!" Lambo squealed, desperately jumping to get it back, but Otavio kept it out of his reach.

"No. Your father thought you were mature enough to use it. Looks like you still need awhile," Otavio told him, carrying the bazooka out of the dining room and into the hall. Lambo followed her, crying for his precious bazooka. Otavio opened the hall closet and put the item one place she knew the child could never reach it: the top shelf, about ten times Lambo's height.

"When you're tall enough to reach it, you'll be ready," She told him, then walked away to get some food, muttering to herself, "'Don't give it to him,' I said. 'He'll destroy the universe,' I said. 'There comes a time when a child must be trusted,' He said. 'You'd have better luck trusting an alcoholic with an alcoholic beverage,' I said. But did he listen? No,"

On a whim, Otavio looked out the window to see something. Sitting on the fencepost was a cat. A black cat, with white spots covering its body, and an indigo ribbon tied around its neck. Its clear sapphire eyes shone with intelligence and recognition. She nodded to it, as she would an old friend. It nodded back, then slunk off.

"Heh, been a while since he's shown up," Otavio noted, grinning.

_

* * *

_

The Tempesta Manor…

Gokudera placed the last of his clothes in the drawer, folded neatly.

"Well, that's that, then," He said, and then started thinking about going to check on the Decimo. A knock on the door broke his train of thought. Standing in the doorway was Cesare.

"Everything in order?" He asked.

"Yeah. You going to be staying long?" Gokudera asked, believing that his uncle was only supposed to take them to the manor. Cesare laughed.

"Yeah, quite a while, in fact. Probably till you grow up," He guessed. Gokudera blanched.

"What?!"

"Didn't your sister tell you? Your dad asked me to keep an eye on you,"

"Nobody – Oh, forget it. Nobody tells me anything around here," Gokudera grumbled, pulling out a much needed cigarette and lighting it. Cesare glared at him.

"Hey!" He yelled, with such force that Gokudera dropped his cigarette.

"WHAT?!" Gokudera shouted back, bending over to pick up the fallen object.

"Not gonna share?" Cesare asked, grinning. Gokudera smiled slightly, and tossed him one from the box.

"Need a light?" He offered, holding up his lighter. It was silver, and the Vongola Crest was etched onto it. Cesare shook his head.

"No need," He said, then raised his closed fist to his lips. From his ring, a crimson flame sprang up, and lit the cigarette. He extinguished the flame, and puffed thoughtfully. Gokudera's jaw dropped.

"H-How did you _do _that?!" He screamed.

"I'll show you how sometime later," Cesare offered, laughing. He glanced out the window, which looked down on the courtyard, and saw something. It was the same black-cat-with-white-spots that Otavio had seen earlier, walking past the manor, and heading towards the Pioggia Manor. Cesare lifted an eyebrow at the sight.

"Well, I'll be damned," He muttered to himself.

"Huh?" Gokudera looked up, hearing his uncle's hushed voice.

"Nothing," Cesare lied, then, "Who told you I was dead, by the way?"

"Shamal. Why?" Gokudera answered. Cesare burst out laughing.

"Figures, I guess."

_

* * *

_

The Pioggia Manor…

A red and white flash leapt past all of the Vongola security measures guarding the Complex without a problem. It was too fast to make out any details other than the color. It paused for a fraction of an instant on the doorway of the Pioggia Manor, before vanishing completely, after knocking on the door. Tsuyoshi opened the door, looking around for the disturbance.

"You gotta be kidding me. There are ding-dong-ditchers, even _here_?" He noted, before looking down. Lying on the ground was an envelope, with a name written on it in Japanese. Tsuyoshi recognized the name, and groaned.

"Can't she just _die _already? She's, what two hundred years old?" He said to himself, bending over to pick up the letter. When he looked up, he saw the cat sitting in front of the gate.

"You didn't see her, did you?" He asked it, as if he was expecting a response. The cat shook its head.

"Heh. Figures. Good to see ya again," He called to it, before returning inside and sliding the door shut behind him. The cat continued on its rounds.

_

* * *

_

The Serena Manor...

"Translate: Momma makes me mush my M&Ms," Hanabi said to her daughter in Japanese. Kyoko paused for a moment, thinking.

"Momma makes me mush my M&Ms," She repeated back, in Italian. Hanabi nodded.

"Good. I think you'll be extremely ready," She said, satisfied. Kyoko shrugged.

"Sorry, I'm just a little bit rusty. It's been a long time since you've had me practice this," Kyoko said, recalling that her mother had forced her to learn Italian, which was her second language, at a young age. It would be a miracle if Ryohei could still remember any of it; they had stopped learning three years ago. He couldn't remember what was for dinner three hours ago.

"Meh, it's okay. You'll remember it as you go along," Hanabi responded, leaving the room to attend to other matters. Ryohei walked in as she left.

"Kyoko? Have you seen my ring? The one with the extreme sun on it? I extremely can't find it," He said, embarrassed. Kyoko knew about his ring, but she had no idea what its significance was. Or so he thought.

"Oh, the Vongola Ring? I think you kept it in the pocket of your hoodie," Kyoko responded. Both she and her brother froze. Kyoko because she had let something slip, and Ryohei because he couldn't believe what he had heard.

"Kyoko… What did you just say," Ryohei said, not even yelling or bothering to make it sound like a question. Kyoko looked for an excuse.

"I said, it's in the pocket of your hoodie," She repeated. He clenched his fists.

"Kyoko… HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE RINGS?!" He shouted. Kyoko winced.

"W-well, it says "Vongola" on the ring, so…" She claimed, even though she had never seen it up close. Ryohei wasn't buying it.

"It was Sawada, wasn't it?" He said. She was silent. "WASN'T IT?!"

"Onii-chan, please don't be angry…" She tried to say, but all that Ryohei heard was a confirmation that he was correct. Without a word, the normally sunny boxer stormed out of the room, his bloodlust so strong Kyoko should have sworn she saw the paint peeling. Ryohei rushed past his parents, who were carrying boxes upstairs, nearly making them lose their hold.

"Ooh, boy. Looks like things could get ugly," Toumaru noted, not envying Tsuna in the slightest. He and Hanabi had heard their son's shouting. It was hard not to.

"Yep," Hanabi agreed, watching Ryohei rush out the front door, nearly knocking it off its hinges, and almost running over a black-with-white-spots cat that was sitting outside. It hissed at him as he ran away.

"Isn't that…?"

"I think so."

"I thought he got hit by a car years ago."

"Please. It'll take more than that to kill him," Toumaru said with certainty. The next moment, the boxes were knocked out of their hands as their daughter gave chase to their son.

"Sorry!" She shouted, dashing off after Ryohei at top speed. The poor cat was in her path, but Kyoko didn't hit it. She didn't go around it, either. The cat didn't move, either. Kyoko jumped straight over it, performing a graceful flip in midair, and hit the ground running as if nothing had happened. She didn't even think about it. The cat stared after her, before following at a slow pace.

_

* * *

_

The Vongola Mansion…

"Ahhh… So peaceful…" Tsuna sighed as he plopped down in the most comfortable chair he had ever sat in. The chair was in front of the largest fireplace that Tsuna had ever seen, in the Boss's Office, which also contained a huge mahogany desk, and numerous books about the history of the Famiglia, its associates, business ventures, and enemies organized neatly on a large bookshelf. Also in the room was a small door, right next to the fireplace, which Tsuna had failed to notice. It opened, and out walked Reborn, wearing a bathrobe, pajamas, and slippers, with a cup of espresso in one hand and a newspaper tucked under the other. Leon was mounted on his left shoulder.

"I wouldn't get too relaxed if I were you, Tsuna," He said, sitting down in a miniaturized chair in front of the fireplace and flipping open the paper.

"Reborn, why is there a door in my office?" Tsuna asked calmly. He had stopped being surprised by Reborn's secret passages after he had discovered a wine cellar underneath his bed back in Namimori.

"That's my front door," Reborn replied, then, "Good news, Leon. Looks like green is the new black." Leon grinned smugly.

"Your house?" Tsuna responded, too comfortable to care.

"Yep. The Nono gave it to me as a reward for a mission I completed years ago," Reborn told him, "And you really shouldn't be getting too comfortable, you know," He warned. Tsuna chuckled.

"What danger is there?" He said, confident in his safety. As soon as he finished saying this, the doors burst open forcefully. In the doorway was Ryohei, looking very, very enraged.

"SAWADAAAAAAAAAA!" He bellowed, twice as loud as he usually was. Every piece of glass in a ten meter radius shook.

"An overprotective brother who is incredibly pissed off at you. Ooh, the horoscopes. Let's see… Tsuna, be very wary of upset friends," Reborn advised. Tsuna, however, didn't hear that. He was too busy being lifted up in the air by his collar.

"O-Onii-san! W-what happened?" Tsuna stammered, fearing for his very life. Considering how angry the boxer was, there wouldn't be enough of his body left to identify the remains.

"DON'T PLAY DUMB, SAWADA!" Ryohei shouted. Tsuna gulped. Reborn gulped down some of his espresso.

"Ah, that's some good coffee," He said, then returned to his newspaper as if nothing was happening.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU TELL KYOKO, SAWADA?!" Ryohei yelled.

"Onii-san, please hear me out…"

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH DANGER YOU'VE PUT HER IN?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?! DID THAT EVEN CROSS YOUR MIND?" Ryohei roared, pressing Tsuna against the stone wall.

"WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME, ONII-SAN?!" Tsuna shouted, although nowhere near as loud as Ryohei. It got his attention.

"I am sorry that I told her. But…"

"Sorry won't keep her safe, Sawada."

"Then _I_ will," Tsuna swore, surprising both himself and Ryohei. He elaborated. "Onii-san, your sister is important to me as well. I swear to you, I will protect her, even if it should cost me my life," Tsuna promised, turning a shade of pink at his semi-confession. Slowly, Ryohei lowered him to the ground, then left.

"If you fail to protect her, Sawada, I will make you wish you had never been born," He snarled before leaving. As he left, he failed to notice Kyoko, standing against the wall next to the door outside, silent tears running down her cheeks. She had heard every word that Tsuna had said. She collapsed to her knees, not knowing what to think.

"Looks like they cloned Elvis," Reborn noted.

"Reborn, I respect and fear you, but please shut up," Tsuna said. Reborn threw his coffee cup at him.

_

* * *

_

The Serena Manor… Later…

"Please be straight… Please be straight… Please be… YES!" Hanabi threw her hands up triumphantly. She had just finished arranging the last of her plaques from tournaments on the wall of the trophy room, and it was perfectly straightened. Kyoko entered the room, having just returned from the mansion.

"Something wrong, Kyoko? You look like something just extremely crushed you," Hanabi noted, unaware of how close she was to the truth. Sure enough, Kyoko did look as dejected as a stray puppy in the rain. She had been thinking the entire time since she had heard Tsuna's promise, and she was certain that what she was about to do was the right thing.

"Mom, you used to do kickboxing, right?" Kyoko asked. Hanabi looked back at her trophy wall as if her daughter was kidding. Almost all of the trophies were first place.

"Oh, just a little," She answered, sarcastically. What her daughter did next made her realize something: Her daughter had really matured. Kyoko dropped to her knees, and set her hands and forehead against the ground.

"Please teach me how to fight!" Kyoko begged, her resolution clear in her voice. Hanabi paused for a moment, then smiled. She had never been so proud of her daughter in the past.

"You will do everything I tell you to do, when I tell you to do it. I say jump, you say how high. I say do a hundred pushups, you do a hundred pushups. You will refer to me as 'Hanabi-sensei'. Is that understood?" Hanabi said.

"Yes, Mo- Hanabi-sensei!" Kyoko replied in a heartbeat. She stood up and saluted her mother.

"That's the spirit. We'll start tomorrow," Hanabi told her.

"Yes, Hanabi-sensei!" Kyoko said, bowing from the waist, and then leaving. Her mother smiled.

'_Watch me, Tsuna. I'll become strong,_' Kyoko swore in her mind, clenching her fists in determination. She had a goal, and she was willing to go to Hell and back to accomplish it. She wouldn't be protected.

_

* * *

_

Sunset… The Vongola Mansion…

Iemitsu stood with his wife on the balcony outside their bedroom, admiring the beautiful sunset. They held each other in their arms. She sighed.

"It's such a lovely view, dear…"

"I can see better," Iemitsu responded, grinning. Nana chuckled, then yawned.

"I'm feeling a little bit tired, dear. I think I'll turn in," She said, breaking their embrace.

"Sweet dreams," He bid her, as she opened the door inside, and drew the shades shut.

"'I can see better,' huh. Smooth, Mitsu-chan. Smooth," A voice complimented sarcastically. Iemitsu turned around.

"Long time, no see, Speckles," He said. Sitting on the railing was the same black-cat-with-white-spots that had been patrolling the Complex. Around his neck was the same indigo ribbon, and his clear blue eyes were smiling. On his ankle was a ring, that had been meant to fit on a thumb, emblazoned with the letters CEDEF. Iemitsu reached over and scratched him behind the ears.

"Will you _stop _that?!" Speckles screeched, batting away Iemitsu's hands.

"So what brings you here?" Iemitsu asked the cat, which had started licking itself.

"Several reasons. First, I wanted to see the new boss that everyone's been talking about. Second, I wanted to check up on a certain lady-cat I've been admiring from a distance in Roma. She slapped me with a restraining order, unfortunately. And third…" Speckles said, and then placed his paw on a small, black velvet ring box in front of him, "I came to make a delivery for someone." Iemitsu nodded.

"I see," Iemitsu noted, knowing not to pry about the secretive CEDEF Nebbia Guardian's business.

"I just decided to stop off here beforehand, see how everyone was doing. Now, duty calls, unfortunately," Speckles said, preparing to spring off the railing to the ground below.

"How about a bowl of milk first?" Iemitsu offered. Speckles paused, weighing his options.

"As much as I would love to, I really do have to go," He said, and then, before he leapt, "Oh, and congratulations about your wife's new litter." Then he jumped. Iemitsu froze at what the cat had said. He just stood there for a few minutes.

"…Did he just say what I think he said?" He asked no one in particular.

_

* * *

_

The Entrance to the Vendicare Prison…

The woman tossed something on the ground in front of the cloaked men in front of the gate. It was a man, beaten, bruised, and bleeding. The Vendici calmly inspected him.

"There's your escaped criminal," The woman said to them. The man she had just dropped at their feet crawled towards her.

"N-no… Please! Don't make me go in there, I'm begging you! I-I'd rather die than go back! Please!" He begged, fear running through his voice as he begged at her feet. She kicked him in the face.

"I don't care," She responded cruelly. The Vendici moved. From the sleeves of their cloaks, an array of large hooks shot out, latching into the man's skin. As they dragged him away through the dirt, he screamed in pain and suffering.

"Don't forget your end of the bargain," The woman shouted at their backs. If the Vendici heard her, they didn't show it.

* * *

Chapter 6 End

And here's a brand new chapter for your enjoyment.

Things are really starting to progress now. A mysterious dealing with the Vendici, a mysterious letter dropped at the Pioggia Manor's doorstep, and a mysterious talking cat showing up. And Nana's PREGNANT?! GASP.

Next chapter, the Decimo Famiglia are officially appointed the leaders of the Vongola, and they attend their first day at Mafia Accademia. Stay tuned!

I realize that Kyoko is a bit OOC, but at this point, I don't really give much of a crap. While I did try (not very successfully) to make her IC in the previous chapters, now I'm trying to make her a more mature, stronger character. And believe me, I mean strong.

As a parting note, I have to admit something I noticed from the new manga arc. Suzuki Adelheid's rack is about the size of my HEAD. Or bigger. It's a miracle can even stand straight.

Review!


	8. Chapter 7

New Chapter Up!

By the way, I lied. The Accademia will come next chapter, probably. Sorry!

Disclaimer: I do not… Oh, what the hell. Maybe I DO own KHR. In fact, I AM AMANO AKIRA. And the state of this fandom makes me want to cry like a little girl.

Chapter 7

* * *

Tsuna straightened his tie. A year ago, before Reborn showed up, he never would have thought that this could ever happen to him in a million years. Yet here he was.

"Decimo, are you ready?" Gokudera, to his right, asked. Tsuna nodded.

The Decimo Famiglia was assembled at the Vongola Mansion, in the main hall, dressed in their formal attire and ready for what awaited them. The day had finally come that they would be appointed the official leaders of the Vongola Famiglia.

The Guardians were arranged in a phalanx, with Tsuna at the point. To his left were Yamamoto (Who had been on his right, until Gokudera, Tsuna's self proclaimed right hand man, complained. Gokudera had been at Tsuna's left, and demanded to be switched with Yamamoto.), Lambo (who had actually had his hair wetted and combed flat to his head, making him nearly unrecognizable), and Chrome. To his right were Gokudera, Ryohei, and, as far away from the others as possible, Hibari.

"Let's go," Tsuna said, and led them as they marched down the aisle. To their left and right were the assembled bosses of practically every Famiglia in most of Europe, several from America (Specifically New Jersey), several large Yakuza groups from Japan, some from China, and one group from Antarctica. The Eskimo Famiglia, if Tsuna remembered correctly.

When they arrived at the end of the hall, where the heads of the main Famiglias in the Vongola Alleanza awaited them, they dropped down to one knee in respect. Even Lambo, who had been hypnotized to be on his best behavior, was quiet. From the Elephante Famiglia, the second largest Famiglia in the Alleanza, a large, very muscled man Tsuna had never seen before stepped forward.

"On this day, we have assembled to see the mantle of the mighty Vongola Famiglia passed down to the man appointed by the Nono and the External Advisor as the Vongola Decimo, Tsunayoshi Sawada and his Guardians, Hayato Gokudera, Takeshi Yamamoto, Ryohei Sasagawa, Kyoya Hibari, Lambo Bovino, and Chrome Dokoro," He said, in an incredibly strong voice. It carried in the enormous hall, without the need for microphones. There was applause from the audience. Some was eager, some was just a light pattering, mostly from the Famiglias who did not see the Vongola Decimo in front of them, but a child barely out of diapers. The Elephante Nono stood in front of Chrome.

"Do you, Chrome Dokoro, swear to be the mist that hides the Famiglia?" He asked her.

"Y-yes…" She said quietly.

"Then I appoint you as the Decimo Nebbia Guardian," Elephante stated, then moved on to Lambo.

"Do you, Lambo Bovino, swear to be the fierce lightning that strikes the Famiglias enemies?"

"Don Lambo does," Lambo said, his voice monotone. The hypnotism was _very_ heavy.

"Then I appoint you as the Decimo Fulmine Guardian," Elephante said, then moved to Yamamoto.

"Do you, Hayato Gokudera…"

"I'm Yamamoto," He corrected. The Elephante's speech had probably accounted for Gokudera being in Yamamoto's place.

"Apologies. Do you, Takeshi Yamamoto, swear to be the rain that washes away everything?"

"I do,"

"Then I appoint you as the Decimo Pioggia Guardian," Said Elephante, then moved to the other side of the phalanx, in front of Hibari.

"Do you, Kyoya Hibari…"

"Whatever. Let's just get this damn thing over with," Hibari snarled, not even giving him the chance to finish.

"…Okay. Then I appoint you as the Decimo Nuvola Guardian," He moved to Ryohei.

"Do you, Ryohei Sasagawa, swear to be the brilliant sun that shines down on all?"

"I EXTREMELY DO!" He shouted. Elephante grinned.

"Then I appoint you as the Decimo Serena Guardian," Finally, he moved to Gokudera.

"Do you, Hayato Gokudera, swear to be the violent storm that protects the Famiglia?"

"I do," Gokudera swore humbly.

"Then I appoint you as the Decimo Tempesta Guardian," Elephante, then moved to the center, to Tsuna.

"And do you, Tsunayoshi Sawada, swear to be the sky, that envelopes all, and to lead the Famiglia through days of war and peace?" Elephante asked. '_I never wanted this_,' Tsuna thought.

"…I will," He finally said.

"Then I appoint you, now and forevermore, the Vongola Decimo," Elephante said. The hall burst into applause.

"You have big shoes to fill, kid," Elephante said quietly to Tsuna, "The biggest. Good luck," He said, then patted him on the shoulder.

"Th-thank you," Tsuna responded.

_

* * *

_

Later… The ballroom…

Once the ceremony was finished, the assembled Mafiosos retreated to the ballroom in the Vongola Mansion, for a legendary Vongola celebration. If there was one thing the Vongola Famiglia was known for, it was their ability to throw parties (Naturally, Hibari left as soon as the ceremony was done). There was no competition in the Western Hemisphere. There was an amazing orchestra, with the greatest musicians that could be found, a buffet prepared by the greatest chefs in the world (which was currently being laid siege to by Lambo, whose hypnotism had worn off), and, of course, large amounts of alcoholic beverages. None of these things held Tsuna's attention at the moment, however. He was centered completely on one person among hundreds.

Sasagawa Kyoko. She had been invited to the ceremony due to her familial connections to the Serena Guardian, and Tsuna was not complaining. Not one bit. Kyoko looked absolutely _gorgeous_. Her lips had been painted ruby red by lipstick, her makeup looked like it had been done by a professional, her hair, which she had allowed to grow longer in the year since the Ring Battles, until it reached past her shoulders, was done up in a flowery bun, and she wore a beautiful white silk dress, which hugged her curves perfectly. She had also, shall we say, "filled out". Quite nicely, in Tsuna's opinion. His ogling was cut off by an elbow to his side by his right hand man.

"Decimo, if you're going to make a move, I would recommend you do it very quickly," He whispered. Tsuna turned red.

"M-make a move? On what?" He stammered. Gokudera groaned, letting his face hit his hands.

"Decimo, I have sworn that I would always follow you in whatever you did, but I just have to tell you now: You are as dense as gold," Gokudera stated simply.

"What do you mean?" Tsuna asked.

"Decimo, practically everybody knows you have a crush on the lawn-head's sister, except for her. For God's sake, the moron-cow'sfigured it out," Gokudera lamented, "And if you don't make a move on her pretty damn soon, someone else is gonna snatch her from right underneath your nose."

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about," Tsuna claimed. He was lying.

"I know you've noticed how good she looks. But you don't exactly need hyper-intuition to notice that you're not alone," Gokudera alerted him. He pointed.

"Over there. See that guy?" He said. He was pointing at a tall, probably eighteen, blonde man. The word that automatically flashed across Tsuna's mind when he saw him was 'Bishonen'. He was staring straight at Kyoko, who was chatting with some girls she had met.

"Ludovico, of the Eros Famiglia. They call him 'Cupid'. And over there…" Gokudera said, then pointed at a tanned man, also around eighteen, with a square jaw and muscles that seemed ready to rip out of his suit. "Andrea 'Rocky' Balboa. And at his right is Ezio, heir of the Auditore Famiglia. The guy trying to spike the punch bowl is Leone Florenzia. The guy who beat him to it is…"

"Alright, alright. I get the point," Tsuna said, silencing Gokudera, who looked like he could go on for about two hours about the all the guys that were all admiring Kyoko.

"Then get going, for crying out loud!" Yamamoto beckoned, popping up on the other side of Tsuna and grabbing him by the arm.

"For once, I agree with you, baseball-idiot," Gokudera confessed, grabbing Tsuna's other arm.

"Here's the battle plan. Naturally, Sasagawa-senpai is dealing with the guys who were ogling his sister. We'll draw off the girls that Kyoko's talking with. Then you go in for the kill, Tsuna!" Yamamoto coached Tsuna, as he was dragged towards the object of his affection.

"W-Wait!" Tsuna called, but his Guardians did not comply.

"Knock 'em dead, baseball-idiot," Gokudera bade. Yamamoto gave him a thumbs up, and then broke off, making a beeline for the small group.

"Excuse me ladies, would any of you care to dance?" He addressed the group of girls. Just like that, the entire group was broken up, leaving only Kyoko.

"I-I'm not ready for this!" Tsuna wailed.

"Too bad!" Was all Gokudera said before pushing Tsuna straight at his target. Unfortunately, he was intercepted in transit by Iemitsu and Reborn.

"Business time, Tsuna. Let's go," Iemitsu said, pulling Tsuna away. Reborn was perched on his shoulder. Gokudera just stared after them.

"Goddamnit."

_

* * *

_

Later…

"It's on the Primo's, right?" Iemitsu asked Reborn, who nodded.

"Yeah. In Belladonna's left eye," He stated knowingly. The trio was walking down a hallway Tsuna hadn't been to before, with paintings of the former Bosses and their Guardians on the walls.

"What are you two talking about?" Tsuna asked, unhappy at being left out of the loop again.

"The _real_ part of the ceremony," Iemitsu said, "Ah, here we are."

They had reached the portrait of the Primo's Famiglia. Tsuna looked at the painting, marveling just how similar their Guardians were to his own. There was Alaude, standing separate from the rest of the group, glaring daggers at Demon Spade, who was smirking, almost evilly. G. was in the middle of an argument with Asari Ugetsu, who was smiling jovially, despite the fact that G. was about to pull heat on him. Mostly because, unbeknownst to G., he was ready to unsheathe his sword at a moment's notice. Knuckle was ruffling Lampo's hair, who was crying uncontrollably. In the very center of the picture was Giotto, the Primo, holding the hand of the woman sitting next to him. Tsuna's blood ran cold when he saw her.

"K-KYOKO-CHAN?!" He screamed, pointing at the woman in the painting in disbelief. It was as if it was Kyoko herself, except her features were more matured, and her hair was black.

"That's Belladonna, Giotto's lover and founder of CEDEF," Iemitsu corrected, "They called her 'La Perla di Vongola'. It was after her death that Giotto stepped down as the Primo, handing the mantle to his cousin, the Secondo."

"Was she Knuckle's sister?" Tsuna asked, fairly sure he knew the answer.

"Bingo,"

"How did she die?"

"She died protecting Giotto during a war with the Dragone," Iemitsu explained, running his fingers over the edge of the portrait's frame.

"Dragone?"

"They were an old enemy of the Vongola. We were at war with them until the Ottavo, Daniela, finally ended it. Cost her life, unfortunately," Iemitsu noted. Upon the mention of Daniela, Reborn tipped his hat over his eyes. "Ah, here we go," Iemitsu said, finding what he had been looking for. A small switch on the side of the frame. When he flipped it, the area around Belladonna's left eye popped open, revealing a keyhole.

"Reborn, if you would," Iemitsu requested. Reborn hopped on Tsuna's head, in order to reach the keyhole. He pulled out a small golden key from his pocket, which he turned in the lock. At the end of the hall, the wall slid open to reveal a passageway.

"Go, Tsuna," Reborn requested, pointing towards the passage that had just opened. Tsuna complied. Iemitsu, however, stayed behind.

"Dad, aren't you coming?" Tsuna asked. Iemitsu shook his head.

"Can't. The Nono specified before his death that the one to go down there with you would be Reborn, not me."

"What's down there?"

"It would be faster if you just went down there yourself, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn told him.

"Good luck," Iemitsu said as Tsuna began to walk down the passageway.

After several minutes of walking, the passageway finally opened up to an enormous room. Wherever Tsuna looked, there was something that shone. Around the vault were the numerous treasures that the Vongola Famiglia had assembled in the past, whether they were stolen, purchased, found, or looted. The floor was nearly coated with gold, silver, and jewels. Reborn pointed his pupil past these things, however, and towards a small chest sitting on a raised pedestal.

"There, Tsuna," He ordered. When Tsuna approached it, Reborn jumped off, and went about unlocking the chest. His body was covering Tsuna's view of the contents, so he began to look around. One thing instantly caught his attention. Mounted on the wall not too far away was a broadsword. The blade was edged with a shining black glass, which Tsuna recognized as obsidian, rimming a center made of iron. The hilt was leather wrapped, with black fangs making the guard. At the pommel was the head of a dragon.

"Reborn, that sword…"

"Spada di Dragone. It belonged to…" Reborn answered, as he looked over the contents of the chest, "Ugh, it's gonna be a miracle if this thing still works… Sorry, the sword belonged to Gio Dragone, the Dragone Primo. The Primo took it as a trophy after his victory," Reborn informed him, as he began to hit the item in the box with a large hammer. "Ah, there we go. Hey, Tsuna." Tsuna turned around to face his home tutor and quickly wished he hadn't. Reborn was aiming the item from the box, an old flintlock pistol, at Tsuna's head.

"Die, please," Reborn requested, then pulled the trigger. The recoil was so strong it knocked Reborn over, nearly sending him toppling into the chest. The bullet from the gun struck Tsuna in the forehead, and he fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

"Damn, this thing has got more kick than a mule," Reborn remarked, admiring the still smoking pistol in his hands. He looked over Tsuna's body.

"Good luck."

* * *

Tsuna's eyes opened and he shot up like the bullet that had just hit him. His hand flew to his forehead, and when it came away, there was no blood. Then Tsuna looked at his surroundings, or lack thereof.

"Where am I?" He asked, his voice echoing in the white nothingness. No matter where he looked, that was all there was. White.

"Hello? Reborn?" Tsuna called out, looking around. There was nobody in sight.

"Don't tell me… Is this heaven?" He wondered. From behind him came a laugh.

"I doubt it. Otherwise, the Secondo wouldn't be here, would he?"

"Put a sock in it, Settimo,"

Tsuna whipped around. There, floating in midair in various pieces of furniture, were nine people.

"Ciao, Tsunayoshi-kun," One of the men floating in midair addressed him. He was a handsome man, in his thirties, maybe, with slicked back black hair. Tsunayoshi stared at him for a few moments before realizing who it was.

"T-Timoteo-san!" He called in recognition. The man in front of him was, upon close inspection, a look-alike for the Nono, although he was around thirty years younger.

"Exactly, young Decimo. To answer your next question, this is the Madreperla, where the Vongola of the past await the newest bearer of the mantle, to pass judgment," Timoteo, the Nono, explained, gesturing to the others around him.

"This kid is the Decimo? Heh. Damn brat looks more like a woman than the Ottavo," The Secondo laughed. When Tsuna first saw him, he nearly mistook him for Xanxus. Daniela, the Ottavo, lifted a rude finger in his direction.

"Calm down, Ottavo. I think the kid looks promising," The Terzo noted. Next to him, the Quarto scoffed.

"'Promising' is for the future, Terzo. I don't think the child has the strength to even make it that long," He laughed.

"I find he has promise, as well, Quarto. All the child needs is a little… push out of the nest, I suppose," The Settimo remarked, stroking his thin moustache.

"Just like you did to me when you dropped me in the middle of the _Amazon_?" The Ottavo clarified, glaring at the Settimo.

"Calm down, Daniela. You made it out just fine,"

"You are the worst father ever."

"We have other business to attend to, my friends," Timoteo reminded them. Eventually, they all fell silent.

"Make your decisions, friends," Timoteo told them. The Secondo started.

"Kid looks like a little girl. I say no," He stated simply.

"As I said before, the child shows promise. I say yes," The Terzo responded.

"I admit that he shows promise, but the Vongola needs more than that. I say no," The Quarto said.

"I agree with the Quarto. The boy does not seem too fit for the life of a boss. I say no," Said the Quinto.

"Took the words straight out of my mouth, Quinto. I say no," The Sesto added.

"The child looks like he will make a great boss in the future. I say yes," The Settimo stated.

"He bears a certain… similarity with the Primo. I say yes," The Ottavo noted.

"I know that the boy has great strength. I say yes," Timoteo finished.

"That's four votes for yes, four votes for no. We need a final vote, Primo," The Quinto addressed the one man who had not spoken so far. The Vongola Primo, Giotto. Tsuna looked him straight in the eyes, trying not to look nervous. Giotto stared back calmly, appraising Tsuna silently.

"I say yes, and my reasons are my own," The Primo decided. Tsuna let out a sigh of relief he did not know he had been holding in.

"Now that that matter is settled, there will have to be a Chiave made," Timoteo said, looking pleased with the results.

"Ch-Chiave?" Tsuna repeated.

"A Chiave is an item which we hold closest to our heart, which can be used to ignite the Death Wish Flames at any moment, without the need for a bullet. Now, I ask you, Decimo, do you have such an item?" The Quinto asked him. An image instantly flickered through Tsuna's mind. The charm he had received from Kyoko before the Ring Battle. It was a tiny blue rectangle with a little fish sewn on to it. Tsuna practically never went anywhere without it. Even now, he had it in his pocket. He reached in and pulled it out.

"Yeah, I have this," He responded, holding it up for the past bosses to see. The Secondo burst out laughing.

"That's it?! A little charm?!" He howled in between fits of laughter.

"Don't laugh, cousin. Not when yours is a doll," The Primo smiled, pulling out his own Chiave, a small golden locket. The Secondo turned red, but still pulled his own out. True enough, it was a raggedy old doll.

"S-Shut up," He grumbled. One by one, the others brought out their Chiaves. The Terzo fished out a well worn whetstone from his pocket. The Quarto proudly displayed a stained napkin. The Quinto retrieved a small marble from his robes. The Sesto pulled off his monocle, holding it out in front of him. The Settimo pulled out a golden chain with a bullet attached from around his neck. The Ottavo removed her hair tie, letting her hair fall down. Timoteo removed a small leather bracelet from his wrist. At once, all the Chiaves burst into orange flames.

"Bring the charm here, young Decimo," Giotto commanded. Tsuna walked forward to him and held out the charm tentatively. With the hand that was not holding his own Chiave, Giotto took it gently. His hand burst into orange fire, engulfing the small charm. Tsuna nearly protested, but then saw that the charm didn't burn in the fires. Soon, the fires died down, and Giotto returned the charm to Tsuna.

"It is done. Now, all that you need do is simply hold the charm and will your own flames into existence," Giotto explained. Tsuna did the hot-potato with the charm, which was still hot from the fires. Finally, it cooled down enough to hold.

"Now that we are done here, it is time for you to return to your own world, young Decimo," The Settimo remarked. In an instant, all of the people surrounding Tsuna began to slowly fade out.

"Don't worry about the future, young one. Do not let it come to you, but go out and claim it yourself," The Ottavo advised him, "And say hello to Xavier for me."

"X-Xavier?" Tsuna repeated.

"You'll find out," She laughed, bell-like. Around Tsuna, everything went dark.

* * *

"Wait!" Tsuna called out as he shot up. He looked around. He was back in the Vault, right after he had been shot by Reborn.

"It took you long enough," Reborn remarked, sitting on the pedestal where the gun had been.

"Wh-what was that?" Tsuna asked, shaken by the whole thing.

"That pistol had a Silver Death Wish Bullet in it. It's designed to send the person it hits into a hallucinatory state, and when they wake up, their powers are completely awoken," Reborn explained.

"B-but… I saw all the old Bosses of the Famiglia… Th-they…" Tsuna stammered. Reborn sighed.

"It was all an illusion, Tsuna. Don't worry about it," Reborn assured him.

"Reborn… Do you know anyone by the name of Xavier?" Tsuna asked, remembering the Ottavo's last words to him. When he mentioned the name, Reborn jolted upright.

"…Where did you hear that name?" He asked.

"I heard it from the Ottavo," Tsuna replied, "Why? What does it mean?" Reborn was silent.

"It was just an illusion, Tsuna. Forget all about it," He finally answered, but it sounded more like an order than a reassurance.

"Come on. We'll be able to make it back to the party if we hurry," Reborn said, smiling. He hopped up on Tsuna's head, and they left the Vault together.

They did not know, however, that when they entered the Vault, they had not been entirely alone. A third person had invisibly followed them from the ballroom and into the Vault. Now that Tsuna and Reborn had left, the intruder was alone in the vault. It quickly set to work. After filling up its pockets with some gold and jewels, it hoisted the Spada di Dragone down from its place on the wall, and made it vanish as well. In an instant, it left, carrying its loot with it, down the passageway.

The Spada di Dragone was gone.

* * *

Chapter 7 End

Elephante – Elephant

Spada di Dragone – Blade of the Dragon

Madreperla – Mother-of-pearl

Secondo – Second

Terzo – Third

Quarto – Fourth

Quinto – Fifth

Sesto – Sixth

Settimo – Seventh

Ottavo – Eighth

Chiave – Key

A/N Here's a brand spanking new chapter for you to enjoy. I'm sorry there was no Accademia in it. That'll come next chapter, I swear.

This chapter marks the full debut of Belladonna, the lover of the Primo and founder of CEDEF. Originally, her name was going to be Madonna, but I decided that that was way to cliché, and went with a name that both sounded Italian and matched with the CEDEF's member's names having to do with herbs. Clever, huh? Also, was _anyone_ surprised she looks like Kyoko?

Another note: Most of the names I gave for the guys who were ogling Kyoko, I got from either ACII or The Life of Galileo, a play that I had LITERALLY four lines in, and was waiting for my time for the stage when I wrote that part. Convenient, huh?

I also went back and made a small edit. Now, Shamal does not have Pioggia flames, he has Tempesta flames. Why? Oh, no reason…

As a final note, I have been thinking of making a much-needed 27K community. Anybody with me?

As a final, FINAL note, I would like to thank my reviewers and address a little thing that has been bothering me. I appreciate your enthusiasm for my story, but don't go criticizing me for not updating fast enough. I got this update up in less than a week. I just so happen to have this little, annoying problem, that I'm sure many other people also have: A LIFE. I have homework to do, tests to study for, and I have other things to do than write this story. I do enjoy writing it, but it's not exactly number one on my "To Do" list. So, the next person who tells me that I don't update fast enough, I will SMITE. (Oh, I just love that word. Smite, smite, smite. I might smite you. Heh.) You should be glad I update at ALL.

As a final, final, FINAL note, let me take the time to recommend you people to a brilliant new manga I've come across: Psyren. I really, really recommend it. It has made me want to be telekinetic more than I ever had in my life.

Review!


	9. Chapter 8

Now, we finally get to the Accademia. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Chapter 8

_Nagi sat alone on the swings, staring sadly at the ground. The other children were playing a game of wall-ball, but had turned her away when she asked if she could play._

"_Nagi! I'm leaving with or without you!" Her mother shouted at her from the other side of the playground. She looked up forlornly, then dismounted the swing and walked towards her mother. Her gaze drifted up to the street, drawn by some movement. Walking across the road was a black cat. It had white spots and had an indigo ribbon around its neck. She also saw the car, driving straight towards it, the driver not paying any attention to the road ahead._

_Nagi moved without even knowing it. She had always liked cats, and knew that she wouldn't forgive herself if she let the cat die in front of her. She barreled right at the cat, who did not notice the car about to hit it. Nagi tackled it, shoving it out of the way of the car. What happened next was almost in slow motion. She saw the car, about to hit her relentlessly. She saw the surprised look in the cat's blue eyes. She saw…_

…Ken, about to hit a small gong.

"WAKE UP, BYON!" He shouted, and slammed the gong as hard as he could. He had not factored in the fact that _he_ would be able to hear the gong as well, and dropped it in surprise to cover his ears, which only made the gong clatter on the ground, making even more of a ruckus. Chrome threw her hands over her ears to block out the din.

"K-ken-san! What was that?" Chrome asked when the gong stopped ringing, as close to being angry as she could get. Ken, with his sharper than normal senses, was still reeling.

"Gyah… Never doin' that again, byon…" He moaned, rubbing his ears.

"I have an alarm, Ken-san…" Chrome pointed out, gesturing to the clock next to her bed, which, at that moment, began to beep.

"N-noted… Byon…" Ken whimpered, leaving the room to give Chrome the privacy to change into her uniform. It was the first day for the Decimo Famiglia at the Accademia, after all.

'_That dream again…huh,_' Chrome thought as she dressed.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

"Gloves… gloves… Where're the gloves…" Tsuna chanted as he tore apart his room looking for the X-Gloves. He didn't really think that the other students at the Accademia would be coming unarmed, either.

"Oi, Tsuna, catch," Reborn called out from the doorway. Tsuna turned, to be met with a pair of gloves to his face. They weren't made out of soft yarn, as they usually were, however. The gloves were in their battle form, made of black leather and metal. Also, instead of the metal Roman numeral X on the back, there was a glass dome, with the Vongola coat-of-arms underneath it.

"Told you to catch," Reborn reminded him. Tsuna was too busy looking at the improvement to his gloves to listen.

"What the…" He murmured.

"I had Leon change the gloves so that they stayed in battle mode. Can't exactly have the Vongola Decimo wearing mittens all the time, now can we?" Reborn asked rhetorically. Leon gave Tsuna a weak thumbs-up, then collapsed, wiped out from the chore of making the new gloves. "As for the other changes, I was just as surprised as you were," He added. Tsuna slipped on the new gloves, noticing how warm they felt.

"X-Glove, Version Vongola Ring," Tsuna said, surprising even himself. He had no idea where that had come from.

"Good name. Now get changed. You've got a visitor before you leave," Reborn notified him as he left.

"A visitor?" Tsuna repeated.

_

* * *

_

Later…

"Yo, Tsuna," The visitor greeted, "Oh, sorry. Good morning, Ser Decimo," He corrected, adding in a low, sweeping bow.

"D-Dino-niisan, you don't have to bow," Tsuna said, sweat-dropping. Dino laughed.

"Yeah, yeah. Just came to say congrats, Boss. Oh, and I thought I'd give you some advice about the Accademia," Dino added.

"Oh, that's right. You went to the Accademia, didn't you?"

"Yep. I survived," Dino said with pride. Tsuna dead panned.

"Don't you mean graduated?" He corrected.

"To-may-toe, to-mah-toe," Dino shrugged, "Now, listen up: First, the best water fountain in the entire building is on the third floor, east wing, farthest to the right. Second, don't touch the sloppy joes. They'll make you wish you'd never been born. Third, if you're late to class, don't even bother attending. As soon as the bell rings, the doorknobs get charged with enough electricity to drop an elephant. And fourth, you're gonna need this," Dino concluded, holding out a wrapped package to Tsuna. Tsuna graciously accepted it and began to unwrap it.

"Back in my Accademia days, I used that thing. Can't tell you how many times it came in handy," Dino told him wistfully. Tsuna held out the contents of the package in front of him, his "what-the-crap" face blaring.

"A bullet-proof vest?"

"Good times…" Dino mused, then shuddered.

"Well, th-thanks, Dino-niisan. I'm sorry, but I really have to get moving now," Tsuna said, hustling past Dino, who was lost in his memories. He made sure to leave the vest behind.

"That wasn't really what you came for, was it, Dino?" Reborn remarked from the doorway, after Tsuna had left. Dino's face took on a serious appearance.

"You remember Aroldo Pasta?" Dino asked Reborn. He nodded.

"You mean the infiltration expert? Yeah, what about him," Reborn asked. Aroldo's reputation was well known. He was a freelance master thief, specializing in infiltration of highly guarded locations and evading traps with ease.

"They found him on the bottom of the Mediterranean outside Sicily. Him, his wife, and his three year old daughter, all wearing cement shoes," The Cavallone Boss said sadly.

"Any suspects?" Reborn asked calmly. In response, Dino pulled out a necklace from his pocket, and held it out to Reborn.

"They found this around his neck," He said as Reborn took the necklace. When he opened his hand, every muscle in Reborn's body tensed.

"You recognize it?" Dino asked him. Reborn tucked the necklace into his pocket.

"Yeah. I recognize it," Reborn said. In his pocket, the dragon skull pendant was heavy.

* * *

The Guardians (plus Kyoko, minus Lambo) had assembled. All of them were wearing the Accademia's uniform: A pair of khakis with a button down shirt and a black tie for the guys, and a similar shirt and a dark skirt for the girls. They were all armed with everything they would need for the day: Their notebooks, textbooks, pencils, and of course, their weapons. Tsuna's X-Gloves, Version V.R., Gokudera with his dynamite, Yamamoto with Shigure Kintoki, Hibari with his tonfa, and Chrome with her trident, held close to her. Hibari was quick to break off from the group, headed god-knows-where, with Hibird fluttering after him.

The seven of them stood in front of the Accademia, a large stone castle, with banners of orange and yellow, the school's colors, decorating it. Gokudera scoffed.

"Never thought I'd have to come back here again," He grumbled, obviously not too happy. Tsuna looked at him, surprised.

"You used to go here?" He repeated. Gokudera nodded.

"Yeah, till I came to Japan on Reborn-san's request. Well, that was one of my three reasons," He added.

"IT'S EXTREMELY HUGE!" A rather excited Ryohei shouted, drawing the attention of the other students walking through the gates. There were murmurs through the crowd, such as: "Who're those idiots?" "Shh! That's the Vongola!" "Hey, isn't that the Smokin' Bomb?" "Yeah. I'm sure that Lilia will be happy." "That should be fun to watch. That and his rematch with Ilario." "Damn, who's that chick next to the midget? She's _gorgeous_!" Tsuna sweat dropped at that comment. He was assuming that by "chick", they meant Kyoko, and by "midget", they meant him. They hadn't even walked through the gates yet, and they were already drawing attention.

Ryohei placed a heavy hand on Tsuna's shoulder. "Don't you dare forget, Sawada," He glared, and then walked off to the Accademia, shouting in broken Italian at a nearby group for directions to his advisory.

"Ah, I almost forgot! We'd better compare schedules," Yamamoto noted, pulling out his schedule. Gokudera shook his head.

"Don't bother, baseball-idiot," He replied. Yamamoto looked confused.

Gokudera sighed. "I'll explain. At the Accademia, there are basically two selections of courses you can take: One course for bosses, dealing with learning about inter-Famiglia politics, bribes, and the like, which is what the Decimo and, for some weird reason, the lawn-head's sister are enrolled in; the second course is for hitmen and assassins, which teaches about proper assassination techniques, how to control foot-soldiers under your command, and other things that a Guardian needs to now. That's what we're signed up for," Gokudera answered at length. Yamamoto blinked a few times.

"I don't get it," He stated simply. Gokudera buried his face in his hands.

"I thought so," He mumbled, "Alright, anyway, class is about to start. We'd better hurry or we'll all get fried. Let's meet under the oak tree in the courtyard for lunch," Gokudera planned, pointing towards said tree. He dragged Yamamoto off with him. Chrome left to try and find her own classes. Meanwhile, Tsuna and Kyoko were comparing schedules, at Kyoko's request.

"Weird. We've got all the same classes, Tsuna-kun," Kyoko noted, after she had finished comparing. Tsuna nodded.

"Well, we'd better hurry, then," He decided.

_

* * *

_

Later…

'_Dino-niisan wasn't kidding when he said that graduating and surviving were the same thing_,' Tsuna thought as he looked at the class, most of which was staring back at him. Almost every student was staring at him like they wanted to eat him, and they were all practically armed to the teeth. Tsuna's knees were shaking. If Kyoko, next to him, was intimidated, she didn't show it. Eventually, the two were approached by a red headed girl with very sharp features.

"Yo, Kyoko. Fancy seeing you here," She greeted, smiling at Kyoko.

"Ah, Maria! It's good to see you!" Kyoko responded jovially, meeting the girl for a quick embrace. Tsuna looked on, confused.

"Do you two… know each other?" He asked. He was fairly sure what the answer would be, though.

"Yup. We met during the Inheritance Ceremony. I'm Maria Venutti. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Don Sawada," She said, bowing to him. Tsuna sweat-dropped.

"N-no… Just Tsuna is fine, really," He told her.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Hibari yawned. The roof of the Accademia wasn't as comfortable as the one on Nami Middle, but the temperature and sunshine were just perfect, in his opinion. Hibari was quite interested in this school; even the herbivores here seemed to have a little bit of a carnivorous streak, and just the thought of the people he had identified as not being an herbivore made Hibari shudder in anticipation. The baby had been right: There were more formidable opponents to be had here.

Just in the past two hours, he had fought (and subsequently, knocked out) three rather impressive carnivores, and he was now in need of a good nap in the sunshine. He closed his eyes and started to drift into sleep…

When his instincts kicked in. In an instant, he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a hit to his head. The staff that would have hit him on the skull pierced through the roof with ease. The girl who was holding the staff glared at him.

"No member of the student body is allowed to be on the roof between twelve oh one AM and eleven fifty nine PM without written permission from a teacher. Section four, paragraph three, line six," She quoted from memory. She pulled out the staff from the roof and held it in a ready stance. She had shoulder length black hair, equally black eyes, and cold features, which were aimed straight at Hibari. Hibari smiled. This one may be worth his time.

"Any member of the student body, teacher, or member of the janitorial staff that is attacked by another member of the student body, teacher, or member of the janitorial staff is within his or her rights to counter without repercussion. Section one, paragraph three, line one," He replied, also quoting from memory. Of course he had memorized the school's rulebook. He had to know the rules to take advantage of them, of course. His tonfa appeared in his hands out of nowhere, and he lunged at her.

The girl easily blocked Hibari's first strike with her staff, and ducked beneath the second strike. She spun her staff so the end was aimed at Hibari's chest. He moved to the side easily, and spun around, bringing his tonfa down like a hammer at her head, its power increased due to the momentum from his spin. With lightning-quick reflexes, she knocked aside Hibari's strike with her staff, then jumped back. Hibari did the same. Hibari was grinning like a madman.

"Hoh… Very impressive. Who are you?" He asked, cracking his neck in preparation.

"Placido. Selvaggia Placido," She answered, flexing her fingers around her staff, "And you must by Kyoya Hibari."

"Exactly," Hibari responded, then, before their fight continued, said: "I'll bite you to death."

They would be fighting until sundown.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

"Oi, Gokudera, what are you waiting for?" Yamamoto questioned. The two were standing outside the door of their first class, with Gokudera leaning against the wall, trying to stay out of sight.

"Before I go in there, I want you to check for something," Gokudera requested, "Look in the classroom and tell me if there's a guy in there with spiky green hair and two muscle-bound thugs flanking him." Yamamoto peered through the window, scanning the members of the class.

"No sign of him," He answered. Gokudera breathed a sigh of relief.

"Great. Let's go," Gokudera said, pushing past Yamamoto into the room. What awaited him was a rather nasty surprise. Standing in the far corner of the room, where Yamamoto couldn't have seen them from the door's window, was the green haired kid with two thugs flanking him. He looked up when Gokudera entered the room, and smirked at him.

"Well, look who decided to show his ugly mug. Smokin' Bomb Hayato. Laugh at him, boys," He ordered. The two thugs next to him burst into laughter. Gokudera cringed. He turned on Yamamoto.

"_I thought you said you didn't see them!_" He hissed, looking like he wanted to kill Yamamoto. Well, more than he usually did, anyway.

"Sorry. I guess they were out of my sight," Yamamoto answered, rubbing the back of his head, his idiotic grin not once leaving his face, "Who is that guy, anyway?"

"Ilario Vespiano. The original lawn-head. Reason number two that I left," Gokudera answered, before Ilario approached him.

"Finally came back, did you, _Hayato_?" He sneered.

"Still keeping the Tweedle Twins around to make yourself look better, lawn-head?" Gokudera retorted. The thugs stared at him stupidly. About five seconds later, they realized they'd been insulted. Ilario held up his hands to stop them from attacking.

"Dee, Dum, calm down. There'll be time for that later," He assured them. He continued to glare at Gokudera. Yamamoto swore he saw sparks fly between the two of them. This was gonna be a long day.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Chrome peeked her head into the classroom, trying to not be seen. She'd never been to a school this big before, and she was incredibly nervous about what would happen. She silently tiptoed into the room, located her desk, and quietly placed down her book bag. She looked around at the other members of her classroom. Like it or not, she was attracting attention, being the Vongola Decimo Nebbia Guardian. She could literally almost feel their stares piercing into her back. Some of the girls looked at her like she may become competition; Chrome didn't really like to admit it, but she had become much prettier recently. Most of the boys were looking at her like she was a piece of meat. As they watched Chrome, they didn't know that someone else was watching them.

"Oiii, Ken-senpai. Why are we doing this again?" A blonde haired child with a bored expression on his face asked from outside the window. Ken shot him a glare.

"Fran, shut up, byon," He responded. The two were peering in from the window, hidden by Fran's high quality illusions. Ken had literally dragged the child along with him to "Keep an eye on her… Uh, for Mukuro-san, byon." As Ken had said. He had blushed slightly while saying it.

"Oiii, Ken-senpai. Isn't this kinda stalking?" Fran asked. Ken punched him. Hard. Fran didn't even flinch. "That hurts, senpai," He whined, but he showed no indication of any pain.

Nobody in the classroom saw what was about to happen. An invisible figure was slowly creeping up behind Chrome, arms poised to strike. When the figure was within range, it lunged.

Chrome gasped. There was… something grabbing her. Grabbing her chest, specifically. She blushed profusely.

"Uwaah, perfect! Just the right size, a firm yet soft texture… Jackpot!" A voice said from behind Chrome. A female voice. Chrome tried to struggle, but the invisible girl began to, well, play around. To anyone else, it looked as if Chrome was dancing to an unheard beat.

"I-Iyaaa!" Chrome shrieked, finally managing to throw off her attacker. The perpetrator fell to the ground, reappearing with a soft thud. She had brown hair and eyes, and a lecherous grin on her face.

"Oohoohoo… Feisty, are we?" She giggled, overjoyed. Chrome fumbled for her trident, and pointed it at the girl who had tried to molest her.

"I-I'm sorry… Who are you?" Chrome asked, almost apologetically. The girl winked at her.

"Name's Valeria Velius, cutie. And you," Valeria pointed at Chrome's chest, "Have a nice rack." Chrome turned very pink. Outside, Ken was a shade of red that was partly due to anger, and partly due to… other effects. Fran didn't care.

"Oiii, Ken-senpai. Why don't you just admit you have a crush on her?" Fran asked. In response, Ken pulled out a set of fake teeth and popped them in. A small gorilla's face appeared on his cheek, and he muscled up instantly, sprouting huge fangs. With his muscled arm, he mercilessly slugged Fran. The boy still didn't flinch.

"That hurts, senpai." This was gonna be a long day.

_

* * *

_

Later… Lunchtime…

Kyoko walked quickly towards the place that had been agreed upon by the group. She and Tsuna had gotten separated when Kyoko had to go to the bathroom, and Tsuna had headed on without her, hoping she'd be okay. He'd seen some of the stares that Kyoko had been attracting. Kyoko wasn't paying attention as she walked, and passed by a group of boys who were fixing her with very interested eyes. The group silently decided to have a little… fun. They circled around her, not giving her a place to run. Kyoko realized her situation, and gulped.

"Heeyy, where ya runnin' to, babe?" The leader of the group, a tall senior with a rather crude face asked her, leaning in close. Kyoko backed up.

"E-excuse me, I really have to go…" Kyoko said, trying to push her way past him. The group tightened the circle.

"C'mon, you don't intend to leave without chattin' with us, do ya?" The leader said, reaching out a hand to grab at her. Kyoko reacted instantly. She had only been training with her mother for a few days, but she had learned a little. She quickly dropped into a ready stance, and aimed a kick at the leader's head with her right leg. He caught it with ease.

"That's all?" He guffawed.

"Get away from me!" Kyoko shouted as the circle continued to tighten.

"I think you should listen to her," A voice from behind the group's leader warned. Kyoko's heart did a back flip. It was Tsuna, his forehead blazing with flame and his burning hands at his side. The leader turned around.

"Yeah? Whatcha gonna do about it, shrimp?" He taunted, releasing Kyoko's leg to turn and face him. When he did this, Tsuna grinned. With lightning speed, he rocketed forward, past the leader, and picked up Kyoko, then returned to his original position with her in his arms.

"Kyoko, are you alright?" He asked calmly. Slowly, she nodded. Even though the fires were touching her, she didn't burn. They were just… warm. Tsuna placed her down.

"If you so much as touch this woman again, you will have to deal with _me_," Tsuna threatened, glaring at the bewildered mob. The leader laughed.

"H-holy shit! He's trying to _threaten_ us!" He chuckled. Next to him, one of his subordinates paled.

"Uh… Th-that's the V-Vongola D-D-Decimo… B-boss…" He stumbled, trying to back up. The boss also turned white.

"I take it you understand me?" Tsuna asked him, smiling. The leader nodded, fear apparent in his eyes.

"Good. Now beat it," Tsuna ordered. They moved so fast that if you blinked, you would have missed it. The flames on Tsuna faded, and he collapsed.

"Uwaa… I can't believe I just did that," He said to himself. He looked at Kyoko again.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked her again. Kyoko turned red.

"Y-yeah… Thank you, Tsuna-kun," She said, looking away. Her body remembered how warm Tsuna's fire had been. She didn't see, but where Tsuna had touched her, her clothes had been burnt slightly, but it had not even marred her skin underneath.

As anyone who has ever done something embarrassing in high school should know, rumors travel at a speed that makes race cars look like Model Ts. After Tsuna's proclamation that Kyoko was not to be touched by any man, the rumors flew. The most accurate said that he had a crush on her. Others said that they were dating; others said that they were _engaged_. But the juiciest rumors are the ones that survive. Thus, not even fifteen minutes after the event, it was regarded as a fact around the Accademia that Tsuna and Kyoko were actually married.

_

* * *

_

Later…

To say that Ryohei was very happy to hear these rumors would be a flat out lie. As soon as Tsuna and Kyoko arrived at the oak where the other Guardians were assembled, Ryohei slammed Tsuna in the gut, then started to shout at him things like "WHEN DID YOU EXTREMELY GET MARRIED?!" and "WHY THE HELL WASN'T I EXTREMELY INVITED?!". It took a full fifteen minutes of Tsuna and Kyoko vigorously denying these rumors for him to finally calm down.

"Chrome-chan, what's the matter? You look like you're expecting something to pop out from behind you at any second," Kyoko noted, seeing how Chrome was covering her chest and continually looking back.

"Th-that's just about it, Kyoko-san," Chrome responded, looking back again. In the meanwhile, Gokudera was sporting a black eye over his left eye.

"Gokudera-kun, what happened to you?" Tsuna asked. Gokudera grinned proudly.

"You should see the other guy, Decimo," Gokudera answered. Not too long ago, things had come to blows with Ilario. Gokudera walked away with just a black eye, while Ilario had a broken finger. A victory, in Gokudera's book.

"So, if that guy was reason number two, what's number three?" Yamamoto asked, curiously. Gokudera cringed.

"Reason number three is the worst. She's a fangirl to end all fangirls. Seems to want to make me completely hers by whatever means necessary. Her name's Lilia Fiametta, and…" Gokudera began, but stopped like a deer in headlights.

"HAYATOOO!" A girlish voice called from around a corner on the far side of the courtyard. With catlike reflexes, Gokudera jumped into the low branches of the oak tree, ascending as fast as he could to the top, out of sight.

"I was never here!" He hissed down. The source of the shout rounded the corner. She was a rather pretty girl, probably in Chrome's grade, with curly blonde hair, blue eyes, a skirt that was probably shorter than the dress code allowed, and, most noticeably, a rocket launcher on her back. She practically skipped to the oak tree, and looked around. She pouted.

"Aww. I coulda sworn that Hayato was here," She whined.

"Um… Excuse me, can I help you?" Tsuna asked her, trying not to be distracted by her short skirt. She stared at him. An evil smirk spread across her face.

"You're Tsunayoshi Sawada, right?" She asked. Tsuna nodded. The smirk spread even further across her face.

"Hee hee… This should work," She cackled, rubbing her hands together in glee. Tsuna was about to ask her what she was talking about, when she did the unexpected.

In one deft motion, she grabbed Tsuna's head, and pressed her lips firmly against his. Kyoko literally did what can only be described as a spit take. Before she even knew what she was doing, she pulled the girl off Tsuna, strangely angry. Her anger was absolutely nothing compared to that of the boy in the tree.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO THE DECIMO, YOU BITCH?!" He screamed, dropping out of the tree and pointing an accusing finger at the girl. "Oh, shit," He squeaked when he realized that he had been revealed. The girl grinned.

"Foundja, Hayato," She squealed, throwing herself at him. Gokudera jumped back, and ran away as fast as he could, screaming, across the courtyard. The girl tore after him.

"Well, I'm guessing that was Lilia," Yamamoto noted when the shock wore off.

"Tsuna-kun? Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko said, snapping her fingers in front of Tsuna's face. After Lilia had forced herself on him, Tsuna had frozen like a statue, and he didn't even blink when Kyoko snapped her fingers at him.

"I think he extremely fainted," Ryohei said, waving his hand in front of Tsuna's face. Still no response. Tsuna had fainted with his eyes open.

"Alright. Let's get him to the infirmary," Yamamoto suggested, picking up Tsuna and slinging him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"That wouldn't do you much good," The tree told them. A door slid open halfway up the trunk to reveal Reborn, sipping from a steaming cup of espresso.

"What do you mean, Reborn-chan?" Kyoko asked, looking worriedly at Tsuna.

"Well, the new head nurse there has a bit of a problem with working on other men," Reborn said, as Leon crawled onto his hand to form a gun, "But there is a way to get past that. Put Tsuna down, Yamamoto," Reborn requested. Yamamoto complied, placing Tsuna down on the ground.

"U-um, what are you doing, Reborn-san?" Chrome asked. Reborn aimed at Tsuna, just below the belt.

"Something that Tsuna is really, really, really not gonna be too happy about."

_

* * *

_

Later…

"Tsuna-chan…Tsuna-chan…" Was the voice that roused Tsuna from his unconsciousness. He opened his eyes, seeing blurry silhouettes surrounding him and a light passing in front of his eyes. When his eyes focused, he saw that they were Kyoko, whose voice had awoken him, Reborn, Ryohei, Yamamoto, Chrome, and Doctor Shamal, waving a light in front of his eyes.

"Looks like she's awake," He noted, tucking the small flashlight away. Tsuna sat up groggily, rubbing his head.

"Ugh…What happened?" Tsuna mumbled. He cleared his throat. His voice sounded like it was too high pitched.

"You passed out after…" Kyoko started, but her blushing prevented her from finishing the sentence. Tsuna's mind drew a blank.

"…Wait, Shamal, why did you just call me 'she'?" Tsuna realized. Chrome held out a mirror for him. Tsuna took the mirror from her and looked into it. He quickly wished that he hadn't. Staring back at him was himself, as a girl.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Tsuna screamed, nearly dropping the mirror. He turned on Reborn, who was smiling evilly.

"REBORN, WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"Death Wish Bullet to the genitals. Becomes the Sex Change Bullet. It was the only way that Shamal would treat you," Reborn answered.

"You look cute as a girl, Tsuna-chan!" Kyoko reassured him, smiling. Tsuna nearly broke down into tears. From the hallway, a bell rang.

"Alright, kids. Time for you all to get to class. Decimo, I'll need to keep you for, uh, observation," Shamal claimed. Tsuna gulped.

"Later, Tsuna!" Yamamoto called, leading the way out of the infirmary.

"WAIT! DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS!" Tsuna screamed, trying to keep them from leaving him alone with Shamal. He/she failed. They were all gone, except for Reborn.

"Relax, Tsuna. The bullet will wear off. Eventually," Reborn guessed, and then left through the window. Tsuna nearly cried.

"Oi, could you people keep it down over there? Some of us are actually _hurt_," A weak voice said from the next bed over. Tsuna looked at the person. Lying there was a boy around his/her age, with dark blonde hair and a large ice pack covering the numerous bruises on his face. A pair of glasses sat in his breast pocket.

"What happened to you?" Tsuna asked, regarding the numerous wounds.

"Had a little run in with some delinquents. I had money, they didn't, end of story," The boy moaned, "Now I'm broke, hurt, and…" His stomach grumbled angrily, "Starved," He finished. Tsuna reached into his/her pocket and pulled out half of his/her unfinished sandwich. He/she tossed it to him. It landed on his stomach.

"Here, you need it more than I do," Tsuna said. The boy grabbed the sandwich and began to eat rapidly, as if he was afraid someone would take it from him. When he finished, he let out a contented sigh.

"Ah. Thanks for that," He said, patting his stomach, "I'm Beppo. Beppo Cappuccino," He said, preparing for laughter. It never came.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Tsunayoshi Sawada," Tsuna responded, bowing his/her head. Beppo lifted up the icepack covering his eyes for a second.

"The Vongola Decimo? I thought you were a guy."

"It's…A long story."

_

* * *

_

Half an hour later…

"Okay. Out, brat," Shamal ordered Beppo, pointing at the door.

"_What_?" Beppo asked. In the past half hour, he and Tsuna had been talking, while Tsuna waited for the bullet to wear off (which it hadn't), and Beppo waited for his bruises to settle down (which they had).

"Kid, I let you lie down, and told you where the icepacks were. Now you're okay. Shoo," Shamal ordered, shoving Beppo out the door.

"I'll talk to you later, Tsuna!" Beppo called back before he was pushed out the door. The door slammed behind him. Beppo stuck out his tongue at it in annoyance.

"Well, _hello_, coffee boy," An insulting voice made Beppo flinch. Standing directly outside the infirmary, and surrounding him, were the delinquents who had beaten Beppo up in the first place. Coincidentally, they were the same group that had tried to attack Kyoko.

"Cappuccino," Beppo corrected, "And leave me alone. You already took all my money, remember?" The leader wrapped his arm around Beppo's shoulders.

"Hey, don't go talkin' like that, buddy. Who said we wanted your money?" He asked. Another delinquent popped up on Beppo's other side and grabbed his arm at the same time the leader changed his hold to do the same. The two easily picked him up and carried him towards the nearest bathroom.

"Ya see, we have a little bit of a bone to pick with the Vongola Decimo. But we can't exactly touch him, can we, boys?" The leader addressed his lackeys, who voiced their agreements. "And of course, we need to blow off some steam," He continued. Beppo realized what they were about to do. He tried to struggle, but their grips were too strong.

"W-wait! NOOO!" Beppo screamed as he was carried into the bathroom.

A day in the life of Beppo Cappuccino.

_

* * *

_

Later… Activities…

Yamamoto let a breath out calmly. He stayed perfectly still, perfectly balanced. If anyone on the ground had looked up on the roofs of the Accademia, they would either see Hibari and Selvaggia continuing to fight, or Takeshi Yamamoto, standing on the top of the highest tower like a weather vane, with his eyes closed, listening. They would have to have good eyes to see that Yamamoto's eyes were closed, though.

A familiar crack of wood. Yamamoto's eyes sprang open and followed the source of the noise.

"Bingo," He murmured, grinning. And with that, he leapt. He plummeted towards the ground, arms spread out like the wings of an eagle. Instead of splattering on the pavement below, he instead landed softly in a conveniently placed cart full of hay. Without wasting a second, he jumped out of the cart and dashed towards the place that the noise had come from, shaking hay out of his hair as he went. Finally, he arrived at the sports fields, coming to a skidding stop in the grass near a group of players.

"Is this the baseball club?" He asked the bewildered sportsmen. They stared back at him. Then Yamamoto noticed. This was not baseball. Instead of the usual diamond, there was a line, and the batter's bat looked like it had been flattened. The batter turned to him.

"The _what_ club?" He repeated. There was a British accent to his Italian.

"Um… What is this?" Yamamoto asked, feeling like a child who had received empty boxes on Christmas. The batter pointed his flat-bat at Yamamoto.

"This, my good sir, is _cricket_. A _gentleman's _game. Not that you'd know about it," He mused.

"Did your bat get run over by a steamroller or something, kid?" Yamamoto asked. A vein popped on the batter's forehead.

"First, my _name_ is Edmund Fitzgerald III. And second, this is not base-whatever. This is _cricket_, you imbecile," Edmund snarled. Yamamoto cocked his head.

"Grasshopper?" He repeated. Edmund flipped out and started angrily yelling in English at Yamamoto.

"Uh… I no speak English?" Yamamoto said in broken English.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

All was well in the Accademia's Boxing Club. The younger members were practicing basic jabs on the sandbags, while the senior members were sparring in the rings. It was… peaceful.

"EXTREEEEME!" Was what broke the silence. Well, it was a combination of both the yell and the door flying off its hinges and hitting a poor freshman. There stood Ryohei Sasagawa, who had easily drawn the attention of most of the club members.

"IS BOXING CLUB?!" Ryohei asked/shouted in broken Italian. One of the seniors sparring in the ring, a tall, well-muscled boy of apparently Spanish descent, nodded.

"Yup," He responded, leaning against the ropes.

"I RYOHEI SASAGAWA! I WANT FIGHT FOR CAPTAIN!" The ever-grammatically-correct Ryohei shouted.

"What?" The senior repeated, looking very confused.

"I think he's trying to say that he wants to fight you for the title, sir," His sparring partner translated.

"YOU CAPTAIN?! I EXTREME WANT FIGHT!" Ryohei shouted, his eyes burning with willpower. The captain grinned excitedly.

"Sounds like fun," He decided, smashing his gloved fists together.

"C-Captain, you can't seriously be intending to fight him, can you? That's the Vongola Decimo Serena!" His partner hissed. The captain's grin only widened.

"Oh, now I'm _really _interested," He said, cracking his knuckles. Ryohei slipped through the ropes into the ring, tagging out with the captain's partner.

"Your funeral," He muttered to Ryohei. Ryohei wasn't listening.

"I RYOHEI SASAGAWA! NAMIMORI RUMBLEFISH!" Ryohei shouted, tearing off his shirt and donning his gloves.

"Yeah, well, I'm Paco Rodriguez, Madrid's Betafish," The captain, Paco, responded. The entirety of the boxing club crowded around the ring, cheering for their captain. The bell rang.

"FIGHT!"

_

* * *

_

Not that long afterwards…

Ryohei's right straight hit Paco's left cheek at the same moment Paco's left straight hit him in the right cheek. The two careened to opposite sides of the ring, collapsing on the ropes, panting for breath. The two had been boxing on equal grounds for the past half an hour, matching each other almost blow for blow.

"H-hey, wanna call this one a draw?" Paco panted. Neither he nor Ryohei could go on much longer, and they both knew it.

"Okay… It extreme tie. But I co-captain," Ryohei decided. Paco smiled.

"Deal."

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Beppo ran his hands under the cool water, applying soap as necessary. He straightened his glasses on his face, looking up at the mirror. While he was wearing his glasses and his hair was slightly messy, his reflection had no glasses that covered eyes that looked like they belonged on a lizard, and his hair was slicked back.

"So, that was the Vongola Decimo, huh? Kehehe… Doesn't look that tough," His reflection chuckled, an evil grin on its face.

"I did what you asked, Gio. Now just give me a little peace," Beppo pleaded. His reflection burst out laughing.

"Don't be so naïve, Beppo. I'm part of you, you know. I can't leave you alone if I wanted to," Gio told him, shrugging.

"You're not part of me. You're just an invader," Beppo snarled.

"You're a Dragone, boy. I'm always a part of you," Gio reminded him.

"I never wanted to be the Dragone Decimo. You're just using my body for what you want!" Beppo screamed at the mirror. Without warning, his head was slammed against the wall.

"Silence, Beppo," Gio ordered, squeezing the boy's neck. Beppo gasped for breath, turning blue as Gio strangled him. When Beppo turned a shade of purple, Gio let go, letting Beppo slide to the ground, drawing in deep breaths of air.

"I won't… fight… Tsuna," Beppo gasped, glaring up at the man who had been his reflection until a few seconds ago. Gio chuckled again.

"Silly boy…" He said, disappearing, "You don't have a _choice_." And then he was gone, leaving only Beppo and the unconscious bodies of the eight delinquents that had tried to attack him.

A day in the life of Giuseppo "Beppo" Dragone.

_

* * *

_

The next day… Vendicare Prison…

"Mukuro Rokudo."

"Yes?"

"Crime: Genocide of the Estraneo Famiglia."

"Oh, they deserved it."

"Murder of numerous members of the Estrella Famiglia, using Lanchia Estrella as a proxy."

"Oh, they didn't deserve it."

"Escape from the Vendicare with several other inmates."

"Maybe."

"Attempted murder of the Vongola Decimo."

"I wasn't going to kill him. Just going to steal his body and turn the world into hell."

"Sentence: _Death_," The Vendicare finished. A gavel was slammed down. Despite the fact that he was about to die, Mukuro smiled. His muscles were weak against the restraints of the electric chair.

"Don't I get any last words?" He asked. The Vendici answered by turning on the power. The electricity coursed through Mukuro's body, sending him into weak spasms. The electricity was shut off, and Mukuro's body stilled like a puppet whose strings have been cut.

Mukuro Rokudo was dead. Time of death: 9:35 AM.

The same two jailers who had come to take him from his tank and drag him to the Vendici's Judgement Room undid the latches on the chair and carried the body to be disposed of.

They didn't notice.

They didn't notice that his right eye was missing.

* * *

Chapter 8 End

A/N PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!

Yes, Rokudo Mukuro is dead. R.I.H. (Rest in Hell), you jackass. I never really like him much. So I just decided to knock him off. Hee hee.

On another note, I may not be updating for a while. I'm going to be hiding from the mob of Mukuro fan-girls that are going to be out for my blood. Gulp.

Notes on names:

Selvaggia Placido: Selvaggia is Italian for "Wild". Placido is "Calm". That kinda speaks volumes about her character, huh?

Valeria Velius: Valeria means "To be strong", but that's not really important. Velius is Latin, meaning "concealed". Thus, her invisibility.

Edmund Fitzgerald III: Yeah. It's from that song about the Edmund Fitzgerald. I first heard it a few days ago and it's been stuck in my head ever since.

Paco Rodriguez: Ay caramba. I couldn't have made that much more of a typical Spanish name if I'd named him Pedro.

In another note, the 27K community is up. I must admit that I barely did anything. Most of the credit goes to monkey kix ass, who went powerhouse and found practically every 27K fic on the site. YOU ROCK.

Oh, and ChibiOtaku13? Two things. One: Turn on your PM. I don't wanna have to take up space to write this. Two: Just wait. After I'm done with Kyoko, she's gonna make Amamiya look like Orihime. OH SNAP. Yeah, I had to say that.

REVIEW.

Oh, also, I've been thinking of changing the title. Any suggestions?


	10. Chapter 9

Here's a new chapter for your amusement. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

_

* * *

_

The next day… Vendicare Prison…

"_Mukuro Rokudo."_

"_Yes?"_

"_Crime: Genocide of the Estraneo Famiglia."_

"_Oh, they deserved it."_

"_Murder of numerous members of the Estrella Famiglia, using Lanchia Estrella as a proxy."_

"_Oh, they didn't deserve it."_

"_Escape from the Vendicare with several other inmates."_

"_Maybe."_

"_Attempted murder of the Vongola Decimo."_

"_I wasn't going to kill him. Just going to steal his body and turn the world into hell."_

"_Sentence: Death," The Vendicare finished. A gavel was slammed down. Despite the fact that he was about to die, Mukuro smiled. His muscles were weak against the restraints of the electric chair._

"_Don't I get any last words?" He asked. The Vendici answered by turning on the power. The electricity coursed through Mukuro's body, sending him into weak spasms. The electricity was shut off, and Mukuro's body stilled like a puppet whose strings have been cut._

_Mukuro Rokudo was dead. Time of death: 9:35 AM._

_The same two jailers who had come to take him from his tank and drag him to the Vendici's Judgment Room undid the latches on the chair and carried the body to be disposed of._

_They didn't notice._

_They didn't notice that his right eye was missing._

_

* * *

_

The previous day… After school…

Tsuna turned the small box over. It was able to fit comfortably in his hand, and colored orange, with the Vongola coat-of-arms on the sides. On one side, there was a small hole. Tsuna shook it. No sound.

"I'm sorry, what did you say these were, Innocenti?" Tsuna asked. It was about two hours after school had ended, and the Decimo Famiglia had assembled in the throne room for a meeting called by Reborn. When all the Guardians had assembled, Reborn introduced a scientist named Innocenti, and his two apprentices, who were both around sixteen. The apprentice on Innocenti's right was tall, blonde, and with an altogether bored expression on his face. A lollipop that Lambo was eyeing greedily hung out of his mouth. On Innocenti's left was a Japanese boy that Tsuna found almost familiar, with scarlet hair and glasses, and he was staring at Lambo as if he'd just seen a ghost.

"Box weapons, Ser Vongola. Wrench, would you please explain to them?" Innocenti requested. He was a tall man in his mid-forties with graying hair and just a few wrinkles. 'Wrench' rolled his eyes.

"My name is Spanner, old man."

"Oh, just get on with it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Spanner grumbled. He cleared his throat quickly.

"Box weapons are a new type of weapon around the mafia. Upon activation, they release specially made tools or animals with the attributes of your own flames," Spanner explained.

"Cielo is Armonia, Tempesta is Distruzione, Pioggia is Calma, Serena is Attivazione, Fulmine is Indurimento, Nuvola is Propagazione, and Nebbia is Construzione," The other apprentice cut in.

"I could have sworn this was _my_ explanation, Shoichi."

"Just trying to help," Shoichi said, raising his hands in his own defense. Spanner rolled his eyes.

"Anyway. The old man was commissioned by the Nono before his death to make the Decimo Famiglia's box weapons. And so, here they are," Spanner finished. Innocenti smacked him on the back of the head.

"A monkey could give a better explanation, Wrench!"

"Spanner!"

"SHUT UP!"

"Don Lambo is bored!" Tsuna rubbed his eyes. Now Spanner and Innocenti were in the middle of a full blown shouting match, with Shoichi desperately trying to mediate.

"Could you please just get on with it?" Tsuna asked calmly. Innocenti and Spanner glared at each other one last time, and were silent.

"Innocenti-sensei, should I finish the explanation?" Shoichi requested. Innocenti gave him the go ahead.

"Alright, here I go. Recently, it was discovered that mafia rings, such as the Vongola Rings, could channel the willpower of the person wearing it, taking the form of a flame. The seven classes of flame that have been discovered so far correspond with the seven Guardians of the Vongola. It was also discovered that the flames could be used as a power source for certain pieces of technology. The box weapons were originally drafted up in the third century, but they couldn't be made for lack of the proper technology. Now, the boxes are capable of being made, and they've become considerably common in the mafia," Shoichi explained.

"We've just got to tune the boxes now to your own specific flames, for maximum output," Innocenti added, removing seven small gray orbs from his pocket. He handed one to each of the seven Guardians.

"What are we supposed to do with these things, old man?" Gokudera questioned impatiently. He placed his two boxes on the armrest of his throne.

"Just picture something that really, well, puts a fire in your belly. Pardon the pun," Innocenti said, chuckling at his small joke.

Almost instantly, Lambo's sphere crackled to life, turning a brilliant green. Lambo was staring at Spanner's lollipop like a hawk regards a mouse that is about to become its dinner ("It was like he was staring into my _soul_. And he didn't like what he saw," Spanner would later remark). After a few tries, Chrome was able to ignite her own, turning it a soft indigo. Shoichi started tapping a few keys on his laptop.

"Fulmine, check. Nebbia, check," He said.

Meanwhile, Ryohei was having a shouting contest with his sphere, and winning. It shone a fierce yellow.

"Serena, check."

"I think mine's broken," Yamamoto said. He was having no success igniting his sphere. Innocenti took out a slip of paper from his lab coat.

"You just have to, uh, move your gyu-gyun…Is that right? Move your gyu-gyun to your bi-bam, and then fazoom?" Innocenti struggled. Yamamoto just stared at him.

"…That's it?" In a second, his sphere turned a deep blue.

"Pioggia, check."

Gokudera was doing some mental calculations. After he was done, he easily turned his sphere a burning crimson, with specks of green, blue, yellow, and purple all throughout.

"Tempesta, check."

Tsuna was also having troubles with his. He couldn't think of anything that 'put a fire in his belly'.

"…I can't get it."

"Dame-Tsuna. It's just like your Death Wish," Reborn told him. That inspired Tsuna. He closed his eyes and thought. The first thing that came to his mind was a picture of Kyoko. Her shining face. Her shining smile.

Kyoko.

In a heartbeat, his sphere burst into a perfect orange.

"Cielo, check." Shoichi didn't notice that there was another spike directly behind it, a Serena.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…The Serena Manor…

"Eighty-_eight_…Eighty-_nine_…" Kyoko chanted as her foot smashed into the sandbag each time.

She was in the Serena Manor's enormous training room, practicing her kicks. With each slam of the bag, she thought about why she was doing this.

"_Ninety_…"

She thought of Tsuna.

"Ninety-_one_…"

Dear, sweet Tsuna.

"Ninety-_two_…"

His promise to protect her.

"Ninety-_three_…"

How he had made good on that promise earlier that day.

"Ninety-_four_…"

The blazing fire on his hands and forehead.

"Ninety-_five_…"

That warmth.

"Ninety-_six_…"

That brilliant warmth.

"Ninety-_seven_…"

She could feel it spreading throughout her entire body.

"Ninety-_eight_…"

Flowing through her veins like lava. Focusing in her legs, so warm it nearly hurt.

"Ninety-_nine_…"

Tsuna.

"One…"

She pulled her leg back for a final kick. Underneath her skin, her muscles began to work overtime. She felt like she could kick the world like it was a soccer ball. Her eyes began to shine yellow.

Tsuna.

"_HUNDRED_!" She screamed. Her leg cleaved straight through the bag like it was made of air. The sand spilled out onto the ground at her feet. Kyoko stared at it, bewildered, her leg still in the air. The yellow glow faded from her eyes.

It was at that exact moment that Tsuna's sphere activated.

* * *

"Cielo, check."

"All we need is the Nuvola, now," Innocenti nodded. Every pair of eyes turned to Hibari, who was just staring at his sphere like it was useless. When he noticed that he was being watched, his brow furrowed.

"What are you all staring at?" He snarled. His sphere turned a dark shade of violet, with light streaks of indigo.

"Nuvola, ch- HOLY SHIT!" Shoichi screamed, staring at the data. In Hibari's hands, the sphere began to whir frantically, the light continually brightening, before the light disappeared in a flash. The sphere began to smoke.

"I-I think he broke it…"

* * *

"Now that SO comes from my side of the family!" Kyoko placed her leg back down on the ground and turned around. Standing in the doorway, almost in tears, was her mother.

"I extremely _THOUGHT_ you had it in you! That was beautiful!" She complimented, clapping her hands together as tears of happiness began to stream down her face.

"M-mom, that was…" Kyoko began, but stopped midsentence. Her mother had popped up directly in front of her. Not even a second ago, she had been at the doorway.

"That was the Eccedere Limite," Hanabi answered, "Although, I personally think it should be called the Kyokuten Heki, but that's just me." Kyoko looked down at the sand littering the ground.

"Mom-"

"Sensei."

"Sensei, how did I _do _that?"

"Simple. Like this," Hanabi replied, then blurred, and reappeared about ten meters away next to another punching bag. Her eyes were burning yellow. She pointed her left hand at it, and pulled back her middle finger, holding it back with her thumb. She flicked the bag. It swung back on its chain as far as it could. Hanabi stepped out of the way, shaking her smoking finger.

"Gah, I keep on forgetting how much that _hurts_," She grumbled. Her finger wasn't exactly meant to use that much force, so it sprained slightly. Kyoko looked on in awe. When Hanabi saw her daughter's amazed expression, she smiled.

"If you wanna learn it, it's gonna be extremely intense. You up for it?" She asked. Not like she already knew the answer. Kyoko clenched her fist.

"Yes," She answered. '_Just watch, Tsuna. I won't be protected again,_' She thought.

_

* * *

_

Later… Innocenti's Laboratory…

"Jesus, no wonder the thing broke. Ser Nuvola had about ten thousand fiamma volts a second of Nuvola, and about two thousand Nebbia," Shoichi remarked, poring over the data from the tests. Spanner whistled.

"Twelve thousand fiamma volts a second? The max we've recorded is, what, five thousand?" Spanner guessed.

"So, he's got a, I suppose we'll call it X-Rank, Nuvola flame, and a B-Rank Nebbia flame," Shoichi decided.

The ranking for flames had five, now six, ranks: D, C, B, A, S, and now X. Ranking depended on how many fiamma volts a second the flame had. D was from zero to five hundred, C was from five hundred to one thousand, B was from one thousand to three thousand, A was from three thousand to four thousand, S was from four thousand to five thousand, which was the highest recorded so far. X was anything higher.

"Alright, tune Nuvola's box so that it can take that much power, Spanner," Shoichi requested. Spanner started tapping a few keys on his key board.

"Oi, Shoichi, I just remembered. Why were you staring at Fulmine like he was a ghost or something?" Spanner asked. Shoichi gulped.

"That kid's name is Lambo. Lambo Bovino. I suppose you could say he's the entire reason we're here now. It was maybe a year and a half ago, and he made a, shall we say, _explosive _entrance. Took out half my room," Shoichi chuckled. "Because of that, the Bovino Famiglia sent us a care package that had been meant for the people who were taking care of him. My mom made me take the brat and the box back to his house. On the walk there, not only did he exhaust most of my candy supply, he started chatting up about the Bovino Famiglia and the mafia. I didn't think much of it at that time, but then six months later, at the robotics convention where we met, I overheard Innocenti-sensei talking about some problem regarding the magnetism of the Bovino Famiglia's skeletons, or something like that. Well, you know the rest, I suppose," Shoichi shrugged. Spanner nodded.

He and Shoichi had been talking about what the best robot would look like, and Shoichi had overheard Innocenti, who was there as a judge for the competition, talking about the Bovino on his cell phone. Shoichi had approached him, and somehow landed himself an internship with him. Spanner got roped in, too.

"What happened to that box?" Spanner asked.

"That thing? When we got to the address Lambo had stitched onto his clothes, a few things happened. When I saw a weird kid in his boxer running around with cheeks the size of bicycles, I kind of freaked out, dropped the box, and ran home as fast as I could," Shoichi paused, then burst out laughing, "And I just realized. That weird kid was Ser Vongola!" He continued to laugh at the irony of the situation. Spanner wasn't listening. He was staring intently at the data for the Tempesta, a light in his eyes that Shoichi recognized as his light of inspiration.

"Shoichi, can you finish the rest of this stuff up?" Spanner asked, quickly printing out the data and grabbing a pen and some paper. He began to furiously make calculations, drawing up several boxes on the paper, his mind working overtime.

"What?! I can't…" Shoichi argued, but Spanner cut him off.

"I'll do the dishes for a week."

"Two."

"Deal," Spanner agreed without really listening. Shoichi smiled. He returned to his work, now looking over the data for the Decimo. A few clicks later, he gasped.

"Hey, Spanner, can you…"

"No."

"Thank you so much," Shoichi grumbled, picking up the laptop and carrying it to Innocenti's office.

"Excuse me, sir? There's something I think you should see," Shoichi said as he entered. Innocenti looked up from his work. He gestured for Shoichi to bring it forward. Shoichi placed the laptop down in front of him. Innocenti glanced over it for a little bit, his interest growing each second.

"Well, I'll be damned," Innocenti remarked, smiling.

_

* * *

_

Later that evening… Vongola Mansion… Tsuna's office…

"Famiglia A is allied with Famiglia B, but is at odds with Famiglia C, who are allied with Famiglia D, the boss of whom is personal friends with the boss of Famiglia B. What course of action could Famiglia A take in order to defeat Famiglia C, without opposing Famiglia D? GAH!" Tsuna groaned, rubbing his head. The homework he had been assigned for Famiglia Interactions class was making no sense whatsoever. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in," Tsuna called. The door opened and Innocenti walked in, bowing his head in respect.

"Good evening, Ser Decimo. I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour," Innocenti apologized.

"No, it's alright. Is there some problem?" Tsuna asked. Innocenti took out a few pieces of paper from under his arm and presented them to Tsuna.

"Here, sir. It's your data from the test earlier today," Innocenti told him as Tsuna looked over the graph on the first page. It was just a printout of his flame output over a period of one second as an orange line. On the second page was another graph, showing the wavelength of his flame, which Tsuna had no idea how it was determined. It was the third and fourth page that threw him for a loop. It looked exactly the same as the previous graphs, with perfectly matching output and wavelength, but with a yellow line.

"This is?" Tsuna asked, confused.

"An eighth spike, sir."

"Eighth? But there were only seven of us!"

"Your sphere logged two different flames, sir. We're fairly certain that the other flame came from a second person, however."

"How did it get picked up?" Tsuna asked. Innocenti pointed at the charts for wavelength.

"Because of this, sir. Usually, the wavelength is unique to a person, but in some rare cases, there are people who have perfectly matching wavelengths such as this. To my knowledge, it's quite rare. People who share wavelengths could be called the ultimate team, or even soul mates, in some cases," Innocenti said, as Tsuna blushed, "Now as far as we know, your flame and the other person's flame ignited at the exact same moment, and your flame picked up the data from the other flame, which pretty much piggy-backed on your own flame to get transmitted as well."

"Do you know who it belongs to?" Tsuna asked. Innocenti shook his head.

"No idea, sir. All we can tell you is that it came from somewhere within a kilometer and a half radius from here," Innocenti answered. '_That covers just about the entire complex,_' Tsuna realized.

"And how can I tell whose it is?"

"It wouldn't be that easy. I'd have to run tests on just about everybody here in the complex, which totals maybe three hundred, counting security and staff. Well, there is one way to tell, but that'd be just stupid…"

"What?"

"Just try roasting every person here. The person who has the same wavelength as you won't be burnt by your flame. Theoretically," Innocenti admitted. Tsuna sweat-dropped.

"I-I think I'll pass on that one, thanks."

"Thought you would. While I'm here, we finished tuning your box," Innocenti remembered, placing the orange box in front of Tsuna. Tsuna picked it up cautiously.

"How do I open it?"

"Just ignite your Death Wish on your ring, and put it in the box. The flame will activate it."

"What is it?"

"It's a lion, sir," Innocenti answered, then took his leave. When he left, Tsuna lit the flame on his ring and pushed it into the box. When he pulled it out, the box opened, but nothing came out. Tsuna peered into it. Inside the box he saw two eyes, shivering with fear. Tsuna smiled.

"Aw, come on out, ya big baby," He called, trying to shake the little creature out of the box. It growled in response. Finally, it came loose, sending a little lion cub with a mane made out of orange fire tumbling to the ground. It turned back to look at him shyly, and then flipped down the mask on top of its head so that its features couldn't be seen.

"You're nuts, you know that?"

The lion whimpered.

"Nuts."

While Tsuna tried to bond with his box animal, Reborn stood at his front door, next to the fireplace.

"Oi, Dame-Tsuna," He called out. Simultaneously, Tsuna and Nuts jumped in instinctual fear.

"Wh-what?"

"Ga-gaor?"

"What do you think of what Innocenti said?" Reborn asked him. Tsuna paused for a moment.

"I'm not really sure what to think of it, honestly," He admitted. Reborn sighed.

"Come with me," He ordered, leading Tsuna out the door.

_

* * *

_

Later…

"Reborn, why did you bring me here?" Tsuna asked, looking around at all the paintings. Reborn had led him to the same place that they had gone to in order to enter the vault, and they stood in front of the portrait of the Primo Famiglia.

"To show you something. Look at Belladonna," Reborn told him. Tsuna did. His eyes were automatically drawn to her face.

"She's beautiful," He remarked.

"Now, look at her right hand. Closely," Reborn added. Tsuna did so, bringing his face as close as he could to the painting. Then he saw it. On the ring finger of her right hand was, obviously, a ring. The word 'Vongola' was written on it.

"Th-that's a Vongola Ring?" Tsuna asked. He thought there were only seven Vongola Rings. This ring looked more like the Cielo ring than the others, and in the center of it was a large pearl.

"Yeah, the Vongola Madonna Ring," Reborn answered, "It traditionally belongs to the Vongola Madonna."

"Vongola Madonna?" Tsuna repeated.

"The Madonna is the boss's closest person, who completes him, or her, both as a person and in battle," Reborn told him.

"And?"

"Look at the other paintings," Reborn said. Tsuna began to walk around the room, looking at all of the paintings. In each one, he noticed one thing: There was a woman sitting next to the boss, with the Madonna Ring on her finger. The only exception was in the Ottavo Famiglia. Next to her was a man.

"Notice it?" Reborn said, joining Tsuna next to the Ottavo Famiglia painting.

"Yeah. But what does it mean?"

"All the Madonna's have one thing in common: _Each of them had a synchronizing wavelength with the boss_," Reborn said, "Well, at least we think."

"W-w-wait, don't tell me that you're saying…"

"Yeah. The person who has the matching wavelength with you would probably be your soul mate," Reborn told him. Tsuna gulped.

"So what should I do?" Tsuna asked.

"I know of a surefire way to find out just who it is, but it'll take a few days. In the mean time, just wait," Reborn told him, before opening a door underneath the painting of the Ottavo.

"Good night, Dame-Tsuna."

"Ah, wait, Reborn!"

"I'm not helping you with your homework."

"Oh, COME ON!" Tsuna begged, but Reborn shut the door. Tsuna groaned, and stood up to leave. Before he left, however, something in the painting caught his eye that chilled his blood.

Standing in the background of the painting, leaning against the doorway, was a tall man in a dark suit, wearing a black fedora with an orange stripe. But that wasn't what chilled him, however.

The man had an all too familiar pair of curly sideburns.

_

* * *

_

The next day… The Accademia… About 9:30 AM…

If anyone asked Valeria what was going through her head at that moment, the answer would have had two parts: First, about her beloved Chrome's chest, and second, the fact that she was mentally humming the 'Pink Panther' theme. It seemed to fit the occasion. She was slowly creeping up on the poor girl, invisibly, her hands fully ready to grope.

Chrome glanced behind her. Nothing. She couldn't see through Valeria's illusion, which had been tempered by years of practice. Chrome slowly returned her eyes to the board. Behind her, Valeria was getting closer. Two meters… One meter… Half a meter…

The clock struck 9:35. In the Vendicare Prison, Mukuro was electrocuted. Chrome's trident shattered.

Chrome gasped, her pupil dilating to a pin point. Her breathing became quick and shallow, and her illusory stomach caved in. Chrome Dokoro collapsed, falling out of her seat. Instantly, the window shattered, Ken flying in among the shards of glass. Fran stared at him.

"Oiii, Ken-senpai. Aren't you a wanted criminal?" Fran reminded him.

"LIKE I GIVE A SHIT, BYON!" Ken screamed, scooping up Chrome and dashing off in a flash. Fran rolled his eyes.

"Just for the record, I didn't do a damn thing," Valeria told the remainder of the class, reappearing.

"Sure you didn't," One of the female students, a former victim of Valeria, grumbled, rolling her eyes.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

"S-so, uh, th-that law against the, erm, drug… control… stuff. P-personally, I really think that's, uh, kind of, well…" Tsuna stumbled. He resorted to simply poking the instructor with the wad of fake bills. Most of the class was in uproarious laughter. The instructor sighed.

"Ser Vongola, your form is completely off. A proper bribe needs to be smooth, the bribed needs to have proper knowledge of _what_ they're being bribed for, and the bribe itself needs to be handed off in a manner that does not arouse suspicion. Could I get a volunteer to show Ser Vongola what a proper bribe looks like?" A multitude of hands shot up. Before the instructor could choose a person to humiliate Tsuna, the door burst open, revealing a panting freshman.

"Is… Ser Vongola… Here?" He said in between intakes of air. His classroom was on the other side of the building, and he had run the entire way, after all. Tsuna gulped. This wasn't looking good.

"I'm here. What is it?" He answered. The freshman smiled in relief.

"You're needed at the infirmary… Signorina Nebbia… Collapsed…" The freshman panted.

"What?! When?!"

"Not five minutes ago. Her… pitchfork thingy… shattered and she… passed out. Some guy came in through the window and took her to the infirmary," The freshman finished, having regained his breath. Tsuna rushed towards the door. Kyoko stood up to follow him, but he declined.

"Stay here, Kyoko."

"What?! But…"

"I'll be back soon," Tsuna promised, and then he was gone. The entire class was silent. The teacher cleared his throat.

"Uh… Free study?" He guessed. Nobody complained. People started bunching up and chatting, some started studying for tests or doing homework, and some tried to sleep. Kyoko groaned at the absent Tsuna. From behind her, Maria grabbed her.

"Whatsa matter, Kyoko!" She said, looping her arms around Kyoko's shoulders. Kyoko jumped slightly.

"M-Maria, don't do that!" Kyoko said. Maria started giggling.

"Aww, are you worried about your husband while he's away?" Maria joked. Kyoko turned red, and shook Maria off.

"I told you, we're not married!" Kyoko griped. Maria just started cackling.

"But you two are just so damned _cute_ together!" Maria stated, making Kyoko blush even deeper.

"Y-you really think so?" She mumbled, twiddling her thumbs in embarrassment.

"You kidding? Why else do ya think that everyone so readily believed that rumor?" Maria reassured her, clapping Kyoko on the shoulder. She gave a small grateful smile.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Ken placed the stethoscope on Chrome's chest in Shamal's stead. He wouldn't trust the man with an ice cream cone.

"What has the world come to when an honest man can't touch a cute schoolgirl's chest?" Shamal lamented. In the meanwhile, Fran picked his nose.

"Oiii, Ken-senpai. How much longer do I have to keep this up?" He moaned. Ken had gone back and picked up Fran after dropping off Chrome, and forced Fran to make Chrome an illusory stomach while they thought of different alternatives.

"You can drop in when I say you can drop it, byon," Ken replied. Behind them, the window was opened, and Tsuna flew in, the flame on his forehead extinguishing when he touched the ground.

"Couldn't use the door, could you?" Shamal joked, noting Chrome's heartbeat on a clipboard.

"Flying was faster," Tsuna shrugged, "How's Chrome?"

"Thanks to the kid," Fran flashed a peace sign, "She's stable, but unconscious. We're not sure how long the illusion is going to last, so I'm trying to think of some longer term solutions," Shamal explained.

"Such as?"

"First, and most obvious, would be getting her a transplant, but I would assume that since she's had an illusory stomach for so long, her body would reject an actual stomach. Second would be teaching her how to make a real illusion on her own, but that would be too time consuming. The third option would be to find out what happened to the creator of the former stomach," Shamal explained.

"Leave that to me," Tsuna said, taking out his cell phone. It had been a gift from his father, and had been programmed with the numbers of various contacts for Tsuna's use. Now, Tsuna called his contact in the underworld, the Vongola spy named Moretti.

"Hello, Moretti? It's Tsuna. No, you don't need to bow. Yes, I'm picturing you kissing my ring. No, Moretti, no need to go that far, thank you. I need you to find something out for me. Do you have any contacts in Vendicare? Wow, you do? Great. I need you to find out what's happened to a certain prisoner there. Rokudo Mukuro. I don't care how many palms you need to grease, just find out. Wait, how much? Yikes. Alright, you've got a blank check. Report back to me as soon as possible," Tsuna finished, and hung up.

"Moretti has a drinking buddy in the Vendicare that he can get some information out of. We should know soon," He reported.

"Don't bother," A voice from the window told them. Tsuna turned around. Standing on the windowsill was a black cat with white spots, with an indigo ribbon around its neck, and a small black ring box underneath one of its paws.

"Never seen a talking cat before?" It said. Tsuna jumped.

"T-TALKING CAT!" He screamed, slipping out of his boss persona back to his usual one. The cat rolled its eyes.

"Long time no see, Specks," Shamal greeted. Ken treated the cat with indifference, as if talking cats were something he saw every day. Fran didn't really care.

"WH-WHY IS THERE A TALKING CAT HERE?!" Tsuna continued to freak out.

"Why is there a talking monkey here?" The cat responded.

"That's not the point!" Tsuna said, but the cat ignored him and stalked towards Shamal, the ring box in his mouth. He deposited it at his feet.

"This should help, I think," He said. Shamal picked up the small box and opened it. His eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw the contents.

"Yikes. Where'd you get this?"

"Vendicare. If they ask, you never saw me," The cat noted. Shamal turned to his assistance, a young blonde woman who was trained in both medicine and Ju-jitsu, which she had let Shamal know the previous time he had tried to grab her ass.

"Prep for surgery, hot stuff. We'll need anesthetics for the girl; don't want her to wake up in the middle of the operation. Get going!" Shamal ordered, as he wheeled the bed Chrome was on to the infirmary's operation room. The nurse first flipped him off, then did what he had asked.

"Hey, brat! I'll need you in the room with me to keep her stomach in existence. Move it!" Shamal ordered Fran. Fran was about to complain, but a bestial glare from Ken silenced him.

"Oi, pervert! I'm coming, too, byon!" Ken asserted. In response, Shamal struck him on the back of his neck, knocking him both unconscious and to the ground.

"You'll get in the way," Shamal responded, and continued to the OR.

"Wait, Shamal! What's going on?" Tsuna demanded, tired of being left in the dark. In response, Shamal showed him the ring box he had gotten from the cat. When he flipped it open, Tsuna's jaw dropped.

"Any questions?"

Tsuna vigorously shook his head.

"Good," Shamal said, then disappeared into the OR, the nurse with surgery tools and anesthesia and Fran in tow. Ken lay on the ground, forgotten.

"I take it you want to know what's going on, young Vongola?" The cat asked. Tsuna, too confused to be further confused by the talking cat, nodded.

"Long story short: Rokudo Mukuro is dead."

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

The leader of the delinquents, coincidentally the same ones that had gone toe to toe with Tsuna, and had gotten the stuffing beaten out of them by Beppo, collapsed to the ground, thinking about how bad his luck had been. Hibari lowered his tonfa, unsatisfied.

"Next time, don't crowd around me, herbivores," He said icily to the unconscious delinquents surrounding him. He sighed. So boring. While the people Hibari regarded as being carnivores were tough, they were still only herbivores against him. The only carnivore who had really gotten his blood pumping was that Selvaggia woman, and he hadn't seen her since their fight had ended yesterday. Now Hibari had to resort to the weaklings again. He still hadn't gotten a good chance to try out his box weapon, but oh well.

The clock struck nine thirty five. Hibari simultaneously got a good feeling and a regretful feeling. One that he only got whenever a person he despised passed away. He got the feeling a lot.

"What are you doing standing around, Kyoya?" A cold voice demanded. Hibari smiled in anticipation. Walking towards him, stepping over or on Hibari's unconscious prey, was Selvaggia, her staff readied.

"I thought this would get your attention," Hibari mused, and their fight restarted.

_

* * *

_

Later…

"The Vendici could have executed him at any time; why _now_?" Tsuna wondered, soaking in the news he had received from Speckles. Ken had regained consciousness, and was sitting on a bed in a slump, silent tears running down his face.

"That, I don't know. All I know is that he's dead," Speckles admitted, giving the closest he could to a shrug. Tsuna's cell phone rang, and he picked it up quickly.

"Ser Decimo, its Moretti."

"Do you have any news?"

"Yep. My contact got me the information. Rokudo Mukuro is…"

"Dead. I know. What I want to know is _why_."

"Well, apparently he slaughtered the entire Estraneo Famiglia, he…"

"I know that. I mean, why was he executed _now_?"

"Well, the Vendici were keeping him alive as a precaution. However, a few weeks ago, one of their prisoners, a particularly brutal serial killer responsible for numerous deaths in the mafia, escaped. A small Famiglia caught him, and returned him to the Vendici in exchange for one thing."

"Don't tell me."

"The execution of Rokudo Mukuro."

Tsuna clenched his fists in anger. Sure, Mukuro had himself said that he was only on their side so he could possess Tsuna when his guard was down, but he was still (technically) his Guardian. And Tsuna was not going to like having to break this news to Chrome.

The door from the OR opened, and Shamal and Fran, who had a slightly frightened look on his face, walked out.

"All done. Her organs have returned, thankfully," Shamal said as he removed his face mask. Ken pushed past him to get into the room.

"Shamal, is she conscious yet?" Tsuna asked.

"Not yet. She probably won't be awake for a while. I know you came here to see how she was doing, but you should probably head back to class now," Shamal suggested. Tsuna nodded, and left.

"Oiii, Shamal-hentai."

"What, brat?"

"I'm never becoming a doctor."

"Good. And don't call me 'hentai'."

_

* * *

_

Later…

It was so dark. So cold. So, so, so cold. Chrome felt lonelier than she ever had in her entire life, even before she had been saved by Mukuro. It was so _cold_.

"Chrome! Chrome!" A voice called from the darkness. It was Ken's voice. Chrome slowly opened her eyes. She blinked. Her eye patch had been removed, and replaced with medical gauze. When Ken saw she was awake, he smiled.

"Oi! Pervert doctor! She's awake, byon!" He called out. Shamal casually strolled in to look at her.

"Well, you're up quickly," He noted, taking out a small flashlight and shining it in front of her eye. Chrome squinted. When that was done, Shamal started to unwrap the gauze.

"I-is something wrong with Mukuro-sama?" Chrome asked right off the bat. Both Ken and Shamal stopped dead. Shamal lowered his hands from the bandages.

"Chrome, Mukuro-san is…" Ken began, dreading what was about to come. Chrome was shaking in fear, as if she already knew the answer to her question.

"Mukuro-san is dead."

You could have heard the sound of Chrome's world shattering.

_

* * *

_

Several days later…

None of the Kokuyo gang took the news very well. M.M. moped around all day long, and sobbed uncontrollably when she thought nobody was around. Chikusa started talking even less than he usually did. The Bloody Twins, Jiji and Djidji, had both been heartbroken when they heard the news. After Birds had died, they had become exceedingly attached to Chrome, and she hadn't come out of her room in days, barely eating. If Chrome was unhappy, the Twins were unhappy.

Ken had taken it upon himself to try and make Chrome eat. Their chef, a plump, motherly woman by the name of Sarti, had cooked very nutritious food for Chrome to eat ("Girl needs some meat on her bones," she had said in her jovial way of speaking). Ken fell into a habit at every meal of taking Chrome's food to her room, leaving it in front of her door, asking her to come out, getting no response, and then taking the last meal's food, barely touched, and leaving.

After four days, however, Ken was beginning to get a little bit fed up.

On the morning of the fourth day, Ken left a mouthwatering breakfast, fruit, bacon, eggs, and a frothy glass of milk, at Chrome's door.

"Chrome, will you please come out?" He said to the door. He knew that the occupant of the room wouldn't respond. Ken looked down at the meal from last night. Chrome had barely touched it.

"Oh, that _does _it, byon! Chrome you have _three_ seconds to open this door or I'm knocking it down, byon!" Ken shouted, fully ready to make good on his threat. No response.

"THREE!"

Nothing.

"TWO!"

Still nothing. Ken popped in his Gorilla Channel.

"ONE!"

Silence.

"ZERO!" Ken screamed as he flattened the door. Chrome, curled up on her bed facing the wall, didn't even turn around. Ken glared at her.

"Chrome, will you quit your moping around?!" He screamed. She didn't respond. Ken angrily walked towards her, grabbing her by the shoulder and forcing her to look at him.

"WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME?!" He shouted at her. Chrome shook him off and curled up into an even tighter ball.

"Go away," She said quietly.

"Eat."

"I'm not hungry," Chrome lied. Her growling stomach told the truth in her stead.

"No good is going to come out of _starving _yourself!"

"Maybe I'll die," Chrome said gloomily. Ken turned her around and slapped her, anger blaring across his face.

"Don't… you… EVER… say that again. Byon," He snarled through gritted teeth. Chrome's eye quivered in shock.

"Mukuro-sama was my _only_ reason for living! Why should I keep going when he's _dead_?!" Chrome cried.

"You IDIOT!" Ken yelled, and he pointed a finger at the right side of Chrome's face. "If he DIDN'T want you to live, THEN WHY THE HELL DID HE GIVE YOU HIS EYE?!" It was true. Chrome's right eye socket was no longer empty; inside it now sat Mukuro's red right eye. It was what was inside the ring box, and what was currently keeping Chrome alive.

"I-I-I… I don't know," Chrome admitted, tears beginning to flow. Ken scoffed, turned around on his heel, and left.

"You wanna die so much, then do it, byon," Was all he said before leaving. Then Chrome was alone again, sitting in the darkness of her room. Her two eyes looked over at her mirror. She looked so much like Mukuro, she almost thought that it was him in the mirror, not her.

* * *

"Chrome's still not coming out?" M.M. asked Ken as he sat back down at the table. Ken shook his head. This came as no surprise. Sarti came out with heaping portions of food and placed them on the table. It all looked delicious, with the exception of the Twins' meal. It was some type of pulp that they had put together themselves, which even Sarti could not identify. M.M. picked up her fork to stab at her scrambled eggs, but all she met was the table.

M.M.'s plate had been snatched, and was now being scarfed down by a girl they barely recognized. She was around fourteen, had purple hair, untied, and hanging down to her shoulders, and was wearing the Accademia's uniform. In under a minute, she had devoured M.M.'s food, and moved on to Chikusa's, which she ate with equal, if not greater, speed. In less than two minutes, she had both taken and eaten all the members of the Kokuyo gang's food, including the Twins' mystery paste (she licked the bowl clean). Everyone at the table was too bewildered to try and stop her.

The girl was finished. She let out a large belch, then covered her mouth, blushing slightly.

"C-can I have seconds?" She asked, in a voice all too familiar.

"C-CHROME?!" M.M. screamed. She had never seen Chrome with her hair down; it was hard to recognize her. Chrome turned to her.

"N-no, I'm not," She answered, a smile on her face. Both her eyes were uncovered, and the same color, likely due to an illusion. A bewildered Sarti brought out another serving for her, which she attacked as if it was going to run away.

"Th-then who are you, byon?" Ken asked. Chrome smiled at him.

"Nagi. Nagi Akiyama. Pleased to meet you," Chrome, no, Nagi said before continuing to eat.

Ken gave a small smile.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

"Are the rings being forged yet?"

"Yes, Ser Dragone. I regret to say that the process will take quite a while, however."

"How long will it take?"

"Around a month, sir."

"Good."

"I take it you have selected the recipients of the rings already?"

"Yes. The Vongola don't stand a chance."

"Would you care to enlighten me, sir?"

"I suppose. Naturally, Ilario, you're the Fulmine."

"Thank you, sir."

"Lilia Fiametta is Tempesta."

"Very good, sir."

"Edward Fitzgerald is our Pioggia."

"The cricket creep?"

"Silence. Paco Rodriguez is Serena."

"Hm."

"Nebbia is a girl named Valeria Velius."

"I've never heard of her, sir."

"She tries to keep low. Nuvola is Selvaggia Placido."

"Placido? You can't be serious, sir. How did you convince her to join?"

"I haven't yet. But I have my ways."

"And what about the Madonna Ring, sir?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

"I understand, sir."

* * *

Chapter 9 End

A/N Yes, I had to physically restrain myself from making Nagi's last name "Springfield". It was very difficult.

Translations:

Eccedere Limite: Exceed limit (Italian)

Kyokuten Heki: Extreme Burst (Japanese)

Fiamma: Flame (Italian)

Akiyama: Autumn mountain (Japanese)

And another chapter down. I have no idea how long this story is going to be, but it's going to be a while longer. Thanks for sticking with me! Although I'm afraid I lost most of my readers with the killing Mukuro thing.

I forgot to say during the last chapter: I completely made up the name of Lanchia's family. Estrella (star) was all I could think of.

Why did I bring in Shoichi and Spanner? Well, why the hell not? Plus, if you look closely, you'll notice that Shoichi mentioned the exact moment that my universe split from the canon one. And what is Spanner working on? Hmmmm…

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Oh, and before I go, a word of warning: The next person who uses the word "extreme" or any variation thereof in a review will be meeting the business end of my smiting stick.

REVIEW!

I probably forgot to mention something… oh well.


	11. Chapter Omake II

Happy Birthday to me! Yay! As my present to all of my faithful readers, here are some omakes, in script or short story form. Enjoy! As an added bonus, at the very end is a short excerpt from the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Me no own KHR.

The Dragon and the Clam Omake II

* * *

Characters: Gokudera, Security Guard, Airport Manager.

Setting: Security room at AeroItalia, Namimori. After Gokudera went through the metal detector.

"He's all clean, sir," The security guard reported, having finished his up close search of Gokudera's body. The airport manager, a heavyset Italian man, nodded.

"Good. The police will be here soon to take him into custody," The manager said, glad that all of this had been finished without incident. Gokudera, who was tied up to a chair in his boxers, scoffed.

"Oh, you _really_ don't want to do that," He warned, dead serious. The security guard turned on him.

"What was that, _terrorist_?" He spat, bringing his face two inches from Gokudera's. He wrinkled his nose.

"Phoo, what did you have for breakfast? A skunk's ass?" Gokudera quipped. The guard growled at him.

"What do you mean, we shouldn't?" The manager asked. Gokudera smiled. This was going to be _so_ much fun. He gestured his head towards his bin of possessions from the security checkpoint.

"Look through that bin. There should be some rings in there. Have a look at them," He told the manager. The manager complied, and sifted through the bin, looking for the rings. He checked the first one. Put it back. Checked the second ring. Put it back. But then he found the third ring.

And froze in sheer terror. He broke into a cold sweat, his hands began shaking uncontrollably, and his heart raced. In his hands was the Vongola Tempesta Ring. And, as an Italian, he knew one thing: Never mess with the Vongola, or your bones will be found among them*.

"I take it you know what _that_ is," Gokudera said. The security guard, who was Japanese, looked at the ring, no idea about what it meant.

"Sir, what's…" He started, but the manager didn't give him a chance to finish. In a heartbeat, he was on his hands and knees in front of the silver haired Mafioso.

"_What the hell are you waiting for?! Get on your knees!_" The manager hissed. The guard, confused, did. Gokudera had a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

"Yeah. That's right," He chuckled, "Now, untie me." He was let out of his bonds so fast, Houdini's head would have spun.

* * *

Characters: Iemitsu, Cesare, Nana

Setting: The Vongola Complex, soon after arrival

Cesare: Yo, boss, question for ya.

Iemitsu: Shoot.

C: Okay. *pulls out gun*

I: Wait, no, no, no! I mean ask your question!

C: Oh. *puts gun away* Anyway, how are you going to keep the mafia a secret from Nana now?

I: Well, thankfully she doesn't know Italian.

C: True.

I: It's also good that the people around here don't exactly carry around their weapons in plain sight.

C: Hey, the coffee shops have a strict no weapons policy. How are we supposed to defend ourselves?

I: Not now. And also, it helps that… Well…

C: What?

I: I don't know how to say this… You see, Nana is…

Nana: Uwaaah! This is the executive traffic director's home? I'd love to see the CEO's!

I: …Nana isn't particularly sharp.

C: Ah. Forget I asked.

* * *

Characters: Iemitsu, Cesare, Shamal, Otavio

Setting: Rome Airport, just after Cesare's and Shamal's fight.

Iemitsu: Refresh my memory; why do they hate each other again?

Otavio: No clue.

Cesare: It is a story of friendship…

Shamal: Rivalry…

C: Love…

S: Hatred…

C: War…

S: Peace…

C: Three bottles of Tequila…

S: And a Russian drag-queen.

C: Wait, Natalya was a _man_?!

S: You couldn't tell?

O: I don't think they remember.

I: Idiots.

* * *

Characters: Nana, Otavio

Setting: No clue.

Otavio: Nana Sawada?

Nana: That's me. You're Lambo-chan's aunt, Otavio, aren't you?

O: Yes. Unfortunately.

N: Well, he can be a bit of a handful at times…

O: I was asked to deliver this to you. *Hands a scroll to Nana*

N: Ara? What's this?

O: *Clears throat* For your personal sacrifice of taking care of the vitello, he who has been called the bane of a thousand babysitters, and for your bravery in the face of the mortal body of annoyance, the Bovino Famiglia hereby recognizes you as an honorary member of the Famiglia, and shall refer to you in cases of taking care of the little brat. On behalf of the Famiglia, I thank you. *In Italian*

N: …Pardon?

O: Oh, forget it.

* * *

Characters: Nana, Otavio, Lambo

Setting: The Vongola Mansion, Library

'They were the best of times, they were the worst of times…' The book read.

"Not again!" Nana groaned, tossing the book into the large pile of books she couldn't make heads or tails out of. Would it kill them to have something in plain Japanese?

In truth, Nana was something she had not been for nearly fifteen years. And it wasn't pregnant (she didn't even know yet). She was bored out of her skull.

Tsuna was at the Accademia, Lambo was being cared for by his aunt, all the cooking and cleaning was being taken care of by the staff, and Iemitsu was at work. Nana had absolutely nothing to do. She couldn't read a single word of the enormous library in the mansion, the last time she'd tried to dust something, a servant had literally popped out of the woodwork to take care of it, and she was not allowed to enter the kitchen by the staff, who were intent on making her life easy. Little did she know, her boredom was about to be broken, albeit temporarily.

"Gyuhaihaihai! Don Lambo appears!" A tiny voice called out. Nana looked up. Sure enough, Lambo was running straight at her.

"Lambo-chan!" She called exuberantly. She held out her arms for him to run into.

"Maman!" He responded, making a running leap at her. He was grabbed out of the air by his aunt, who had appeared as suddenly as he had.

"Found you, vitello," She said, victoriously.

"Gyaah! Put Don Lambo down and he'll forgive you!" Lambo cried, trying to struggle against her grip.

"No. You know full well you've gotta be in school now. Don't try to run away again," She warned him , and turned to Nana, "Sorry about this. He won't bother you again, I promise," She said, then walked off, with Lambo screaming that he didn't want to go to school.

"…Goddamnit."

* * *

Characters: Haru, Reborn, Cesare, Otavio

Setting: Haru Haru Interview stage (Come on now, you didn't think I'd make an omake chapter without one of these, didja?)

Haru: Welcome to another dangerous installment of Haru Haru Interviews: Dangerous ~desu!

Reborn: Just get on with it, already.

H: Haru-san is, Reborn-chan!

R: Coulda fooled me.

H: ANYWAY. Today's guest is… Cesare Gokudera-san!

Cesare: *Appearing on stage* 'Sup.

H: Thanks for being able to come today, Cesare-san!

C: No problem. It's for my nipote's cute girlfriend, after all.

H: *Blushing* Anyway, let's just get on with the questions *pulls out index cards*. First: What is your name?

C: Cesare Augustus Gokudera.

H: *flips card* What is your quest?

C: I seek the Holy –

R: Stop.

H: Haru-san couldn't help it.

C: Ditto.

H: Continuing on. *flips card* What exactly is your work, Cesare-san?

C: I'm in CEDEF, both as its Tempesta Guardian and second-in-command.

H: What do you have to do for that?

C: Lots and lots of paperwork.

H: Oh. That's boring.

C: Yeah, well, sometimes I have to ki-

R: Shush.

H: Next question: *flips card* Is it true that you are currently in a relationship with Otavio Bovino-san?

C: Damn straight. Tenth anniversary's coming up soon.

H: *flips card* And when do you plan on working up the balls to finally frickin' propose, preferably with a diamond the size of my head?

C: Beg pardon?

H: *Confused* I have no idea where that question came from.

Otavio: *Off-stage* WELL? YOU GONNA ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION?!

C: I WILL PROPOSE WHEN I'M GOOD AND READY!

O: YOU'RE NEVER READY!

H: H-hahi! S-stop yelling!

C+O: SHUT UP!

H: Okay…

R: I think this pretty much wraps it up.

H: Y-yeah. Well, thanks for reading this interview. Until next time, _see you again, ~desu_!

* * *

Characters: Lambo, Gyuudon (Lambo's box weapon)

Setting: Fulmine Manor, not long after receiving the boxes

Lambo stared the bison in the eye. It stared back at him.

"Bow to Don Lambo!" Lambo ordered. The bison replied by licking him sloppily.

"BOW, not lick, you stupid-stupid cow!" Lambo shrieked, trying his best to shake the saliva off his face. The bison lowed at him.

"BOW, DAMNIT!" Lambo ordered again. At this moment, the bison decided that its legs were tired, and sat down with a thud. The energy crackling from its hide left small marks on the lawn. This pleased Lambo.

"Good! You are now Don Lambo's number one subordinate, uh, Gyuudon!" Lambo decided. Gyuudon lowed in response. In the meanwhile, Lambo was thinking. For once. He had a plan that could use the cow/bison…

_Later…_

Lambo and Gyuudon stood in front of the closet that Otavio had stashed the Ten-Year Bazooka in. Lambo was grinning like a madman. He hopped onto Gyuudon's head, using the added height to open the door.

"Alright, Gyuudon! Stand!" Lambo commanded. Gyuudon placed his front hooves on the lowest shelf of the closet, working his way up until Lambo was within jumping distance of the top shelf. With one hop, Lambo landed on the shelf, and held his arms up as if he was a gymnast who'd just made a successful dismount.

"Gyuhaihaihai! Don Lambo is a genius!" Lambo crowed, prepared to take back what was rightfully his.

The Bazooka wasn't there. It its place was a small note, with three words on it in Otavio's handwriting.

'_Nice try, vitello_.'

"GODDAMNIT!"

* * *

Chapter 10 excerpt

"Reborn, I have trusted you in the past. I believed you when you said that the Vongola killed Mussolini. When you said that Haru and Gokudera were hiding something. When you said that watermelon juice would take care of bloodstains."

"You didn't listen when I told you that blood would bring out watermelon juice stains."

"Not the point. But here? Here, Reborn, is where I draw the line," Tsuna said. The basset hound that Reborn was saddling woofed at him.

"This is Fido, Tsuna. He's the way to find your Madonna that I told you about," Reborn said, giving the dog's saddle the final adjustment. For this job, Reborn was in a cowboy get up, complete with the hat and spurs.

"This is madness."

"Correction; this is Sp…"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence. Don't you _dare_," Tsuna warned him. Reborn grinned.

"So how is Fido supposed to be able to find the Madonna?" Tsuna asked. Reborn took off his ten-gallon hat and pulled a ring box out of it. When he opened it, Tsuna saw that the Madonna ring was inside. Reborn held the open box out to the dog, who started sniffing it, then put his nose to the ground.

"Fido is a master tracker; his sense of smell is so strong that he can even smell a person's fiamma wavelength, even when they don't have their flame ignited. Now, give him a sniff of your flame," Reborn told Tsuna. He held out his fist, and ignited his ring, holding the small flame out to the dog. Fido sniffed it, put his nose back to the ground, and then shot up, howling. He'd found the scent. Reborn quickly mounted the saddle.

"You're sure this is gonna work?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Yes."

"Shut up. Giddyup!" Reborn called, spurring the dog's sides. Fido reared up, howling majestically, and shot off like a cannon across the courtyard. Tsuna quickly tried to keep up.

Fido stopped quickly, putting his nose to the ground again, and then turned his head to where the scent was likely coming from. He shot off again, as Reborn held onto the reins. Tsuna continued his chase, panting already.

"Geez… Where is he…?" Tsuna froze. Fido was streaking straight towards the Serena Manor. Even Tsuna could put two and two together.

"Oh no."

Fido was continuing to run at full speed towards the manor, when he was abruptly stopped. In front of the dog and Reborn stood Tsuna, his hands and forehead burning.

"Move, Tsuna."

"No," Tsuna responded.

"Tsuna, get out of the way, _now_."

"Reborn, I forbid you to go any further than this," Tsuna ordered, his willpower evident in his voice. Reborn tipped his hat over his eyes.

"Fine. Mark my words, however; you'll be singing a different tune soon enough," Reborn warned him, pulling on the reins to turn Fido around. They jogged off into the sunset. Tsuna turned his head back to look at the Serena Manor.

"Please let me be wrong…" He prayed. He didn't want her involved in this any more than she already was.

* * *

A/N: Happy birthday to ME! Happy birthday to ME! Happy birthday to MEEE! Happy birthday to ME!

*So sorry. That's a horrible, horrible, horrible Italian pun. Vongola means clam in Italian, so it basically means that if you mess with the Vongola, your bones will be found among the clams on the ocean floor. I am shamed!

And of course, I DID forget something last chapter. Go figure. I forgot to say that the Guardian's box weapons are NOT their Cambio Forma counterparts, just the regular animals. The technology for the Cambio Forma doesn't exist yet.

YAY!

REVIEW AS A PRESENT TO ME!


	12. Chapter 10

Brand new chapter up! Woo!

Chapter 10

"Reborn, I have trusted you in the past. I believed you when you said that the Vongola killed Mussolini. When you said that Haru and Gokudera were hiding something. When you said that watermelon juice would take care of bloodstains."

"You didn't listen when I told you that blood would bring out watermelon juice stains."

"Not the point. But here? Here, Reborn, is where I draw the line," Tsuna said. The basset hound that Reborn was saddling woofed at him.

"This is Fido, Tsuna. He's the way to find your Madonna that I told you about," Reborn said, giving the dog's saddle the final adjustment. For this job, Reborn was in a cowboy get up, complete with the hat and spurs.

"This is madness."

"Correction; this is Sp…"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence. Don't you _dare_," Tsuna warned him. Reborn grinned.

"So how is Fido supposed to be able to find the Madonna?" Tsuna asked. Reborn took off his ten-gallon hat and pulled a ring box out of it. When he opened it, Tsuna saw that the Madonna ring was inside. Reborn held the open box out to the dog, who started sniffing it, then put his nose to the ground.

"Fido is a master tracker; his sense of smell is so strong that he can even smell a person's fiamma wavelength, even when they don't have their flame ignited. Now, give him a sniff of your flame," Reborn told Tsuna. He held out his fist, and ignited his ring, holding the small flame out to the dog. Fido sniffed it, put his nose back to the ground, and then shot up, howling. He'd found the scent. Reborn quickly mounted the saddle.

"You're sure this is gonna work?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Yes."

"Shut up. Giddyup!" Reborn called, spurring the dog's sides. Fido reared up, howling majestically, and shot off like a cannon across the courtyard. Tsuna quickly tried to keep up.

Fido stopped quickly, putting his nose to the ground again, and then turned his head to where the scent was likely coming from. He shot off again, as Reborn held onto the reins. Tsuna continued his chase, panting already.

"Geez… Where is he…?" Tsuna froze. Fido was streaking straight towards the Serena Manor. Even Tsuna could put two and two together.

"Oh no."

Fido was continuing to run at full speed towards the manor, when he was abruptly stopped. In front of the dog and Reborn stood Tsuna, his hands and forehead burning.

"Move, Tsuna."

"No," Tsuna responded.

"Tsuna, get out of the way, _now_."

"Reborn, I forbid you to go any further than this," Tsuna ordered, his willpower evident in his voice. Reborn tipped his hat over his eyes.

"Fine. Mark my words, however; you'll be singing a different tune soon enough," Reborn warned him, pulling on the reins to turn Fido around. They jogged off into the sunset. Tsuna turned his head back to look at the Serena Manor.

"Please let me be wrong…" He prayed. He didn't want her involved in this any more than she already was.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

_Behind the Serena Manor…_

Kyoko let out a slow breath. Ordinarily, her muscles would be screaming at this moment, or she would be crushed, but she was fine.

"Fifty-nine… Sixty. Alright, you can drop it now," Hanabi told her, pressing a button on the stopwatch. Relieved, Kyoko placed the boulder back on the ground. She had been holding the boulder, which was about the same size as she was, on her shoulders for the past minute. As she stretched out, her eyes, which had been glowing yellow, returned to their normal color.

"How was that, sensei?" She asked. She had caught on to the Eccedere Limite surprisingly quickly, and could now activate it at will. The only problem she had now was stamina.

"Not bad," Hanabi said, as she picked up the boulder with one hand and easily tossed it away. It faded into the distance. Kyoko looked on in awe.

"But you've still got a ways to go," Hanabi told her, grinning. Her eyes were glowing the same yellow as Kyoko's. This brought Kyoko to ask a question that had been bugging her for a while.

"Sensei, I was wondering. How does the Eccedere Limite _work_?" She asked. Hanabi thought for a second.

"Well, every person on the planet has a specific flame in their bodies. You, your brother, and I have an extreme Serena flame. The Serena flame has the property of Attivazione, which decreases the amount of time needed to heal from a cut and the like. Eccedere Limite is different. It was made around six generations ago by our ancestor, Knuckle, and his sister, Belladonna. It uses the Serena flame not externally, but internally, in order to extremely power up muscles. It's not that easy to learn, but you seem to have a natural affinity for it," Hanabi remarked.

"Flames…? Oh, like Tsuna-kun's!" Kyoko realized. Hanabi lifted an eyebrow.

"Beg pardon?"

"A few days ago, Tsuna-kun was kind of on fire. Except the flames were orange, and they weren't really hot…" Kyoko added. When Hanabi heard that, her heart skipped a beat.

"They weren't hot?" She repeated. '_This could be extremely bad…_' She thought.

"No, they were more… warm. And they didn't burn," Kyoko told her. '_Ohhhhh, no. No no no no no no,_' Hanabi thought. This WAS bad. EXTREMELY bad.

"Is something wrong, sensei?" Kyoko asked, seeing Hanabi's panic-stricken face.

"N-no! I-I have to go for a while. Do some, uh, personal training while I'm gone!" Hanabi told her. Her eyes burst yellow, and she was gone, leaving behind only the wind. And a very confused Kyoko.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile… Vongola Mansion…

"Congratulations about your wife's new litter… What does that _mean_?" Iemitsu mulled. He was alone in his personal office in the Mansion, and continuing to think about what Speckles had told him earlier. It had been bugging him ever since. Now he was thinking of some way to get Nana to take a pregnancy test without arousing suspicion. Joy. His thoughts were interrupted as the door, surprise surprise, was knocked off its hinges by Hanabi.

"IEMITSU! EXTREMELY BAD NEWS!" She screamed.

"What did that poor door ever do to you?" Iemitsu groaned, burying his face in his hands. Then he realized something amiss in what she had just said. She'd called him Iemitsu. This must be bad. Hanabi slammed her hands on his desk, making everything on it jump about five centimeters.

"NOT THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW!"

"Then what is?"

"It's about Tsuna. I think he's got a resonance."

"With?"

"MY DAUGHTER."

Iemitsu looked up at her, surprised.

"What makes you say that?" He asked, his curiosity piqued. He knew Tsuna would have to find his Madonna sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to be so fast, or so close by.

"A few weeks ago, Kyoko asked me to teach her how to fight. Then, a few days ago, she suddenly learned how to do the Eccedere Limite."

"She learned _that_ technique?"

"Yeah. And in the past five days, she's learned what took me five _months_," Hanabi told him. She had Iemitsu's full attention now.

"Was she exposed to Tsuna's flame?"

"Apparently. She said it was _warm_. _Warm_, Iemitsu. And it didn't burn," Hanabi told him. Iemitsu stroked his chin. The flame feels warm and doesn't burn. Those were two of the symptoms of resonating flames. He attributed Kyoko's accelerated learning of Eccedere Limite to her exposure to Tsuna's flame, which had woken up Kyoko's flame.

"We've found his Madonna, then," Iemitsu said. Hanabi nodded.

"It should have been extremely obvious. Her resemblance to Belladonna was uncanny," Hanabi added.

"Alright. Keep training her as you have been. I'll deal with telling Tsuna about this. I don't think he's gonna be too happy."

"She can protect herself. He'll have to learn that."

"I'll see what I can do. And, Hanabi, don't tell Kyoko about this."

"Roger."

"Wait, Hanabi. Have you seen Speckles in the past few days?"

"Specks? No, I haven't. Sorry."

"Ah, well. And put the door back on your way out."

"Woah. You need to buy stronger doors, you know that?"

Iemitsu groaned.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile… Tempesta Manor…

"GET THE HELL OFFA ME, YOU DAMN CAT!" Gokudera screamed, trying to pry the yellow kitten off his face. It hissed at him, and continued to scratch his face. Gokudera screamed in pain.

"BAD URI! BAD, BAD!" He scolded, resorting to hitting his face (and the cat) against the wall. Its grip loosened, and it fell to the ground. Gokudera glared at it angrily.

"Decimo got a lion. Lawn-head got a kangaroo. The baseball-idiot got a bird. But me? No, I had to get a sadistic kitten. Go figure," Gokudera cursed. The cat hissed at him again.

"Yeah, well, same to you, pal. I am so glad you're only a kitten," Gokudera said. A servant walked into the room.

"Ser Gokudera? You have a guest."

"Che. Bring him in," Gokudera said, continuing to stare off with the cat. The servant left, and brought Spanner into the room.

"Salute, Tempesta," He greeted casually. Gokudera looked at him, and scooped up Uri by the scruff of the neck.

"Hello, Wrench. I'd like to exchange this for something less violent. Like a badger," Gokudera suggested, shoving Uri in Spanner's face. It licked him on the nose.

"That's your box animal? Weird."

"What's weird?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a fully grown leopard. I can fix it, if you'd like."

"NO. NO WAY IN HELL, WRENCH."

"My name is Spanner."

"I don't care."

"Well, what if I told you I had something that I think you'd like?" Spanner asked him. Gokudera was silent.

"Such as?" He asked.

"A custom made Spanner Original set of box weapons," Spanner said, smiling. Gokudera thought for a second.

"Let me see them, Wren…"

"Spanner."

"_Spanner_."

"Much better," Spanner said happily. He set the metal briefcase he'd been carrying in front of Gokudera, and opened it. Inside were fifteen red box weapons. Gokudera lifted an eyebrow.

"What's this?"

"It's a specially designed system of box weapons. I call it Sistema C.A.I.," Spanner explained. Gokudera investigated the boxes.

"How does it work?" Gokudera asked, shaking one of the boxes a little bit.

"Well, during the test, we found that you have more than one flame. You have an S-rank Tempesta flame, as well as B-rank Fulmine, Pioggia, Nuvola, and Serena. I got the idea to make this system to branch off the Tempesta Fiamma Cannone…"

"Tempesta Fiamma Cannone? I call it Flame Arrow."

"Nice. Anyway, the system uses mixtures between your main Tempesta flame and the other flames to make a lot of possibilities for both attack and defense. Not bad, huh?"

"Sounds impressive. How much is this gonna cost me?"

"Zip."

"Nothing? What's the catch?"

"You just have to tell people that you use a Spanner Original."

"What the hell. Deal," Gokudera decided, shaking hands with Spanner.

_

* * *

_

The next day… Vongola Mansion…

_The setting was on a sandy beach in the Caribbean, with a setting sun over the water. Tsuna and Kyoko stood together on the beach, their fingers laced together. Tsuna turned to Kyoko, about to say something. She looked back at him._

"_What is it, Tsuna?"_

"_Kyoko… I…" Tsuna began, but was silenced when Kyoko gingerly placed her finger on his lips. She smiled at him warmly._

"_I know," She told him. Slowly, the two leaned towards each other, as Tsuna's heart thumped in his chest. Until…_

"_Wake up, Dame-Tsuna," Kyoko said. Tsuna screamed. Her face had been replaced with Reborn's._

* * *

"GYAAAAH!" Tsuna screamed, shooting up out of bed. His heart was beating in his chest like a band of taiko drums. Tsuna shot an enraged glare at the baby hitman standing next to his pillow.

"Reborn, stay out of my dreams!"

"Why, whatever could you be talking about?" Reborn asked him innocently. Tsuna saw red.

"I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GET TO THE GOOD PART, YOU LITTLE…!" Tsuna screamed, lunging out at Reborn. The hitman jumped above his arms and kicked Tsuna in the head, slamming his head back down on the bed.

"Finish that sentence. I _dare_ you."

"Owww…" Tsuna moaned, rubbing his head. He glanced at the clock, and suddenly, Reborn was the least of his problems.

"Crap! I'm gonna be late!" He shouted as he jumped out of bed and started to get dressed.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile… Serena Manor…

_The music in the background was a soft jazz, and all the other couples were slowly moving together around them, but Kyoko didn't care. The only thing on her mind was man with whom she was dancing now. Her dainty hands were resting on his shoulders, as his hands were stationed on her waist. She didn't mind one bit, however. Kyoko smiled at him warmly._

_Tsuna smiled back. _

_The moment of peace was stopped dead when the ground began to shake violently, throwing all the partygoers off their feet and to the ground. Kyoko stumbled backwards, landing roughly on the ground, with Tsuna about to fall onto her. He fell, and his trajectory made it clear just where his lips were going to land. Kyoko saw him fall towards her in slow motion. Half a meter… Five centimeters… One…_

* * *

Kyoko shot up, her heart thumping, and her face strangely hot. Ryohei shook her shoulder roughly again.

"Oi, Kyoko. If you don't get up soon, you're gonna be extremely late," Ryohei warned her. Kyoko glared at him, angry for a reason she wasn't quite sure of.

"Onii-chan… GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" She screamed, her eyes glowing yellow. From her lying down stance, she flipped up and kicked Ryohei in the gut with both her feet, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying towards the closed door. When he met it, it was knocked off its hinges and he landed roughly in the hallway. Ryohei nearly cried in both pain and happiness.

Kyoko had just broken down her first door.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile… Fulmine Manor…

Lambo dreamed he had been crowned the king of Candy Land. Whoever woke him up would not get off easy.

_

* * *

_

Later…

Tsuna chewed the last of his hurried breakfast on the run as he dashed towards the limousine that was waiting to take the Decimo Famiglia to the Accademia. He threw open the door and slid in.

"Thorry I'm wate!" He mumbled, as he swallowed his breakfast. Ken scoffed.

"Can't you be on time just once, byon?" He grumbled.

"Don't disrespect the Decimo, fur brain! You wanna go to Vendicare?" Gokudera threatened, standing up from his seat. Ken also stood up, and went toe to toe with Gokudera.

"You wanna fight, byon?"

"With you? It couldn't be called a fight. More like a one sided massacre," Gokudera taunted. Ken growled at him, looking ready to lunge.

"Ken! Heel!" M.M. ordered. Almost instinctively, Ken stepped back, and sat down obediently.

"Good boy," M.M. said, giving him a dog treat. Ken greedily snatched it up.

Not long after Nagi's resurrection, she had requested of Tsuna that he try to clear the names of the members of the Kokuyo Gang. Tsuna had tried, unsuccessfully, to appeal to the Vendici. He had, however, been able to put them on parole to the Vongola. As long as they followed the rules, they wouldn't be taken to Vendicare. As an added bonus, they had been allowed to attend the Accademia.

Tsuna sat down next to Gokudera and Yamamoto, directly across from Kyoko. He glanced at her quickly, and was surprised to see that she was looking at him, too. Quickly, they both looked away, blushing madly. Neither of them could look the other in the face. Yamamoto and Gokudera exchanged knowing glances. Gokudera reached behind Tsuna's head and passed Yamamoto a folded piece of paper. Yamamoto opened it, read the four words on it, nodded to Gokudera, and swallowed the note. He launched into a coughing fit after it went down. The four words on the note were:

_Begin Operation Tuna-Cake._

_

* * *

_

Later… Activities…

"Alright, you got the stuff?" Gokudera asked. Yamamoto nodded, motioning to the metal briefcase he had with him.

"Right here, just where the kid said it would be," He said, "Where's Tsuna?"

"I told him to come here. He should be arriving soon, and lawn-head's sister went to cheerleading practice with one of her classmates, I heard. Won't need to worry about her interrupting."

"Good. That should make things a little bit easier. And here comes the prey," Yamamoto grinned, seeing Tsuna headed their way. He waved to them as he jogged the last few meters.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

"Have a seat, Decimo. There's something we need to talk to you about," Gokudera told him, motioning for Tsuna to sit next to him, against the oak tree. Tsuna did, slightly confused.

"Decimo, I am sure you are aware that the end of the year dance is coming up in a few weeks, correct?" Gokudera asked. It was now the middle of May, and the year would be coming to a close with the end of the year dance in mid June. Tsuna nodded.

"Good. Well, after the attempt to get you a dance with lawn head's sister failed beautifully at the ceremony, we drafted a new plan."

"Oh no. Gokudera-kun, please don't…"

"Tsuna, we're gonna make it so that you ask Kyoko to that dance by whatever means necessary," Yamamoto told him, opening the metal briefcase in front of Tsuna.

"We've got aphrodisiacs, hypnotism, and a pamphlet that outlines almost one hundred scenarios that you could use to ask her. We've also got…"

"But… Isn't the dance ladies choice?" Tsuna asked them. Yamamoto and Gokudera froze. They'd forgotten about that.

"Which is where the aphrodisiacs come in."

"You guys are a huge help," Tsuna said sarcastically, rubbing his eyes.

"Thank you very much, Decimo."

"Gokudera-kun, remember that time that I talked to you about sarcasm?"

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Kyoko tried again to straighten out the skirt that ended just above her knees. No matter how much she tried to stretch it out, the cheerleader's uniform skirt just felt so _short_. Maria rolled her eyes as she put on her orange and yellow pom-poms.

"C'mon, Kyoko. You're taking all day!" She groaned.

"Captain! Are you gonna come out anytime soon?" A voice called from outside the locker room.

"Yeah, assuming Kyoko decides ta finish up sometime today!" Maria called back.

"I-I can't help it! It's… embarrassing…" Kyoko said, blushing. Maria spotted a chance to put her friend on the hot seat, and jumped at the opportunity.

"What, worried Tsuna's gonna see ya?" Maria asked her, a mischievous grin on her face. She braced herself for a quick denial of any romantic relation to Tsuna, but to her surprise, it never came. Instead, Kyoko just stood there fidgeting, her face as red as a strawberry.

"A… A little," She mumbled.

'_Hoo boy. This is gonna be _fun_,_' Maria thought to herself, a plan formulating in her mischievous mind. She approached Kyoko from behind, and wrapped her arms around the auburn haired girl's shoulders.

"Hey, you been thinking about gettin' a date for the dance? I bet ya got a line of suitors stretched out the door," Maria guessed. She could almost feel Kyoko's heart thumping faster in her chest.

"N-not really… I haven't given too much thought to it," Kyoko admitted.

"Maybe you should ask Tsuna!" Maria suggested, breaking out into a grin. Kyoko broke out of her grip easily.

"Maria, how many times do I have to tell you that Tsuna and I are just friends?"

"By my estimation, 'bout a dozen more should do it," Maria said jokingly. "But in all honesty, you really should ask Tsuna."

"Why?"

"Well, let's see. You'd have to be as dense as a rock to not notice he has a crush on you…" Maria began, but was stopped short when Kyoko gave a slight gasp. Maria looked at her like she was an idiot.

"…You are kidding, right?" Maria asked, hardly believing it. Kyoko was silent. Maria felt like smacking her head against the wall, but she had other business to attend to. She dashed out of the locker room to the assembled cheerleading squad and told them that practice for the day was cancelled. She had a LOT of work to do.

_

* * *

_

That evening…. Somewhere on teh interwebs…

Hahi_desu_86 has signed in.

Rgt_hnd_mn_59 has signed in.

Hahi_desu_86: hi, goku-chan! how's italy?

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: ok, but that girl is still following me

Hahi_desu_86: jst ignore her. or run faster.

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: she's very fast. anyway, i need ur advice on something.

Hahi_desu_86: wut?

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: tuna and cake.

Hahi_desu_86: hahi?

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: decimo + kyoko.

Hahi_desu_86: oh. i knew that :D

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: sure u did. any advice?

Hahi_desu_86: hmmm… did operation tuna-cake fail?

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: its been… derailed.

Hahi_desu_86: ok. well, u r not allowed 2 give advice.

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: i still think that kidnapping is a legitimate way 2 ask a girl out.

Hahi_desu_86: not in this country. maybe u should just let them be.

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: srsly? u think 1 of them will confront the other?

Hahi_desu_86: no, but its worth a shot.

Rgt_hnd_mn_59: alright, ill give it a shot. gtg! same time nxt week?

Hahi_desu_86: ok! see u again desu!

Hahi_desu_86 has signed out.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile… Tsuna's office…

"Famiglia A has invested in weapons trafficking. Famiglia B, one of Famiglia A's allies, has also invested in weapons trafficking, and is taking Famiglia A's business. What should Famiglia A do in order to restore their business, without breaking their alliance with Famiglia B? Kami, this is like a game of pick-up sticks," Tsuna bemoaned, skipping over yet another problem. The next problem didn't look too easy either. There was a slight knock at the door.

"Come in," Tsuna called out. Iemitsu walked in, a serious look on his face. He shut the door behind him.

"How's your homework coming?"

"Not too well. Can you…?"

"No, I'm not helping you."

"Crap," Tsuna groaned, laying his head on the table. His father grinned slightly.

"Anyway, there's something I need to talk to you about. It's about your Madonna," Iemitsu said, getting straight to business. Tsuna set his pencil down, and looked up at him.

"It's Kyoko, isn't it?"

"We're fairly certain," Iemitsu answered. Tsuna gritted his teeth.

"We can have the Madonna Ring tuned for her in less than a week…" Iemitsu started, but Tsuna cut him off.

"You'll do no such thing."

"Beg pardon, son?" Iemitsu asked, looking down at his son, who had a serious light in his eyes.

"I forbid any mention being made to Kyoko regarding the Madonna. If anybody does tell her, I'll see to it that they're dealt with."

"You need to get your Madonna, Tsuna."

"No, I don't. If it's tradition, then so help me, I'll throw it out the window. Kyoko is not going to be involved in any mafia business."

"Tsuna, listen to me. She's living in what is practically the center of the Italian underworld. Her brother is one of the top ranks in the world's most powerful Famiglia. She goes to a school that is geared for hitmen, assassins, and bosses. And you're telling me she's _not involved_?"

"Kyoko can't even _fight_!" Tsuna shouted, slamming his hands against the table. Iemitsu smiled. He'd been hoping that Tsuna would say that.

"Tsuna, listen. Kyoko's been…" Iemitsu started, but was stopped by a knocking on the door. Two generations of the Sawada family looked at the door.

"Come in," Tsuna said. The door creaked open, and Kyoko peeked in.

"I heard yelling. Should I come back later?" She asked. Iemitsu and Tsuna glanced at each other. Iemitsu turned around.

"No, it's no problem. I was just _leaving_," He said, shooting a glance at Tsuna. He walked past Kyoko and out the door, shutting it behind him. He didn't walk away, though. He stamped his feet on the ground to make it sound like he was walking away, but he put his ear up to the door, hoping to catch some of the conversation.

"Is something wrong, Kyoko-chan?" Tsuna asked. Kyoko bit her lip nervously, and started fidgeting uncontrollably.

"W-well, Tsuna-kun, I was thinking about th-the dance, and I don't really have anyone to go with, so…" She mumbled almost too quietly for Tsuna to hear. He could still hear, however, and his heart jumped into his throat. Outside, Iemitsu had a proud smile on his face.

"W-would you please go to the dance with me!" Kyoko blurted out, turning beet red in less than a second. Tsuna could literally feel his heart skip a few beats. He thumped himself lightly on the chest to get it started up again. It started back up, and was working overtime. Tsuna opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out that could be considered an answer. His tongue was not under his control anymore.

"I-is that a… yes?" Kyoko asked after Tsuna had been blubbering for several seconds. Tsuna, realizing that he'd never get his answer out verbally at this rate, resorted to just nodding his head as fast as he could. When Kyoko got the message, she let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad…" She admitted. Tsuna said something intelligent, like 'guh'. Iemitsu smiled. This could be a good chance for Tsuna to see just how grown up Kyoko had become. He'd have to realize that she would one day carry the ring of the Madonna, whether he liked it or not. In the meantime, Hanabi was gonna _flip_.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Ilario placed the wooden box in front of Beppo/Gio, who looked at it hungrily.

"Open it," Gio ordered. Ilario obediently undid the clasp on the box, and opened it for Gio to see. Inside the box were seven tiny silver bands of metal, with the head of a dragon bearing a gem between its jaws. Gio reached down and picked up the ring in the middle, which bore an orange gem. He slipped it onto his finger, and the gem began to glow orange light.

"The ring has accepted me. Ilario, take yours," Gio bid his right hand man. Ilario bowed his head, and picked out the ring with a green gem. When it was settled on his finger, the gem began to shine green.

"The ring has accepted you as the Dragone Fulmine. Don't fail me, Ilario," Gio warned him. Ilario bowed again.

"I will not fail you, sir. When shall we strike the Vongola?"

"In one month's time. At the year's end dance," Gio responded. Ilario looked up at him.

"Forgive me for questioning your judgment, sir, but wouldn't it be best to strike now?"

"Fool. By striking at that dance, the Vongola will be completely unprepared. We also need to convince the other four guardians…"

"Four, sir? So far, there's only…"

"Me, you, and the boss," An unseen voice said from behind Gio's seat. Ilario jumped. There was a click of footsteps approaching the box, and the ring bearing an indigo gem was picked up by an invisible hand. It shone an indigo light.

"The ring has accepted you as the Dragone Nebbia," Gio said. Valeria Velius appeared out of thin air, the ring on her finger. Ilario pointed an accusing finger at her.

"Where the hell did _she _come from?"

"I was there the entire time, dumbass. Open your eyes, why don't you?" Valeria said snidely.

"Ser Dragone, who is this girl?"

"Ilario, if you do not shut up, I'll slit your throat," Gio warned through gritted teeth. Ilario quickly quieted down, but continued to look at Valeria with an untrusting glare.

"This, Ilario, is Valeria Velius, the Dragone Nebbia I was telling you about. Who, by the way, has been a thousand times more helpful than _you_ have," Gio added. Ilario's jaw dropped.

"Ooh! The monkey's about to ask what the hell I did!" Valeria said quickly. Ilario shut his mouth. She was right.

"To answer your question, Kermit, I broke into the Vongola Vaults and brought the boss back the Spada di Dragone. What have _you_ done?" Valeria snapped. Ilario was quiet.

"Wait, did you just call me _Kermit_?"

"You got something to say about it?"

"Maybe I do!"

"SILENCE," Gio ordered. Valeria and Ilario both quickly clammed up. Without even moving a muscle from where he sat, Gio was emitting an incredibly thick aura of bloodlust.

"My apologies, sir. Would you like me to deliver the other rings to the recipients?" Ilario asked, trying to get back on his boss's good side, which was incredibly hard to stay on. Gio shook his head.

"Leave that to me. You are dismissed, Ilario."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Chapter 10 End

A/N I'm so sorry I took so long to update! I've been busy, I swear! Anyway, here's a brand spankin' new chapter that I honestly hope you enjoyed.

I'd like to take this opportunity to talk about Kyoko's fighting style. I'm planning on making it the polar opposite of Tsuna's. While Tsuna relies on the use of his upper body and external output of his flames (like the X-Burner), Kyoko's is going to revolve around her lower body and the internal use of her flames (the Eccedere Limite). As for what it's going to look like in the end, I've been picturing it as equaling part Lenalee Lee from D. Gray Man, part Sanji from Onepiece, and just a little bit of Shihoin Yoruichi from Bleach. It's gonna be awesome!

Also, do me a favor and completely disregard the identities of the Nono's Guardians that got unveiled in Chapter 288 of the manga. It'll help me out a lot, trust me. Of the two Guardians that I'm going to show, they're both going to have relations to characters in the canon. Guess who! Please note that that doesn't mean just main characters; don't forget about the minor characters!

REVIEW!


	13. Chapter 11

New chapter in the HOUSE!

Disclaimer: Insert witty claim here.

Please note that by the end of this chapter, you _may_ hate my guts.

Chapter Eleven

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Earlier…

"W-would you please go to the dance with me!" Kyoko blurted out, turning beet red in less than a second. Tsuna could literally feel his heart skip a few beats. He thumped himself lightly on the chest to get it started up again. It started back up, and was working overtime. Tsuna opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out that could be considered an answer. His tongue was not under his control anymore.

"I-is that a… yes?" Kyoko asked after Tsuna had been blubbering for several seconds. Tsuna, realizing that he'd never get his answer out verbally at this rate, resorted to just nodding his head as fast as he could. When Kyoko got the message, she let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad…" She admitted. Tsuna said something intelligent, like 'guh'.

_

* * *

_

Later…

When Kyoko left the Vongola Mansion, she had a spring in her step. Tsuna was still sitting in his office, completely shell-shocked. After sixteen years of being completely ignored/avoided by the members of the fairer sex, he had just been asked to a dance by the girl of his dreams. He pinched himself so hard he drew blood.

"It's not a dream, Dame-Tsuna," The usual high pitched voice assured him. Tsuna didn't even turn to look at him. Reborn was sitting directly outside of his mini-door, lounging in a lawn chair with a bowl of popcorn in his lap.

"First date, huh? Ahhh, I remember my first. Date, that is," Reborn said wistfully.

"Date with Kyoko-chan… Date with Kyoko-chan…" Tsuna repeated under his breath. Reborn tossed a kernel of popcorn at him. It bounced off Tsuna's forehead, but did not receive a response. Reborn continued to toss popcorn as Iemitsu entered the room.

"Nice going, hot-shot. A date with your Madonna! Excited?" Iemitsu asked Tsuna. The young boss continued to mutter under his breath. Another piece of popcorn rebounded off his nose.

"He's out of it," Reborn judged, throwing another piece of popcorn. "Want a shot?" He asked, holding out a kernel to Iemitsu. Iemitsu took it and popped it in his mouth. He approached the desk, taking out a packet of paper from a folder under his arm.

"Would you mind signing this, Tsuna?" He asked, setting the paper on the desk in front of Tsuna. Tsuna signed the paper absentmindedly, continuing to mutter. Iemitsu snatched the paper away and put it away as soon as the shell-shocked boy was done signing.

"Thank you very much. I am certain that you will be pleased by the results," Iemitsu told him, smiling triumphantly.

"What's that?" Reborn asked, making another shot at Tsuna.

"Papers authorizing me to tune the Madonna ring to Kyoko, arrange the ceremony for the Madonna, and granting me permission to obtain a suitable box weapon for her. It also triples CEDEF's budget," Iemitsu said as he left. He was already making plans in his head as to where the jukebox would go in his office.

"No take backs, by the way!" He called back.

"Date with Kyoko-chan… Date with Kyoko-chan…" Tsuna continued to mumble. Reborn, having run out of popcorn, started shooting spitballs at the poor boy.

One month to the dance.

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_

The evening of the dance…

Gio/Beppo looked around at his six Guardians, and his Madonna. His Fulmine and right hand man, Ilario Vespiano, was polishing his pistol. His Nebbia, Valeria Velius, was grinding her dagger against a whetstone. Paco Rodriguez, the Serena, was performing stretches. Selvaggia Placido, the Nuvola, was balancing her staff vertically on the palm of her hand. Edward Fitzgerald III, Pioggia, was making thrusts at an unseen enemy with an elegant rapier. Finally, the Tempesta, Lilia Fiametta, was repairing her rocket launcher as she hummed to herself. His Madonna stood apart from the rest of the group, dressed in a black cloak that covered her entire body, except for the two metal gauntlets covering her forearms. Gio smiled.

"You all know the plan?" He asked them. Nods and thumbs up all around.

"Then let's begin. The attack will begin at eight thirty _sharp_."

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* * *

_

Meanwhile… Vongola Complex…

Gokudera checked his face in the compact mirror, making sure the mask he had donned was perfectly in place. He didn't want to be seen by Lilia, but he didn't want to leave the Decimo alone, either. That was a major no-no. To avoid being discovered by her, he had obtained a mask, a wig, colored contacts, and latex gloves with different fingerprints. He was unrecognizable.

Tsuna, the disguised Gokudera, and Yamamoto were waiting in front of the limousine that would take them to the dance. Yamamoto was leaning against the vehicle, as Tsuna paced frantically back and forth.

"Tsuna, will you quit pacing?" Yamamoto asked him. Tsuna turned to face him, fiddling with the bowtie of his tuxedo all the while.

"I-I can't help it! It's nerve-wracking!" He complained, "Plus, I'm kind of scared."

"About the date?"

"No. I… I haven't seen Reborn at all during the past week," Tsuna gulped. Whenever Reborn disappeared, it was never a good sign.

The month since Kyoko had asked him to go to the dance had passed almost in a daze to Tsuna. He couldn't believe it was already time. Tsuna continued to pace, and Nagi and Ken approached the group.

"Sorry I'm late, boss!" Nagi apologized, earning an eye roll from her date. Ken preferred to be called an "escort", however. He claimed that he was only going with Nagi on Mukuro's behalf, and completely not because he wanted to. Obviously.

"Why's the tuna look like he's chasing his tail, byon?" Ken jeered. Gokudera glared at him.

"You showing disrespect to the Decimo, fur brain?" He growled. Ken burst out laughing at him.

"Ha! You're actually trying to cover up your ugliness, byon!" He laughed

"Oh, you really wanna get yourself killed, don't you…Wait, how did you know it was me?" Gokudera realized. Ken tapped his nose.

"I could smell you a mile away, byon," He answered, smirking. Gokudera paled.

"Scent! I forgot about my scent! Decimo, I'll be right back!" Gokudera called out as he dashed off back to the Tempesta Manor, probably to douse himself in cologne.

"WE'RE EXTREMELY HERE!" An all too familiar voice announced. Tsuna whipped around to the source of the voice. His heart started doing acrobatics in his chest (the Russian judge gave it a seven, by the way).

Walking towards them were Kyoko and Ryohei, but Tsuna's undivided attention was on Kyoko. She was wearing a beautiful red dress that clung to her figure like a glove, and her hair and face were done up the same as they had been at the inheritance ceremony. She was almost startlingly beautiful. Kyoko broke off from her brother and approached Tsuna. Behind her, Ryohei pointed two fingers at his eyes, then pointed them at Tsuna. Tsuna was, of course, not watching. Kyoko's dazzling smile had almost blinded him.

"Thank you for being my date tonight, Tsuna," She thanked him. Tsuna tried to say something, but his tongue flailed uselessly in his mouth. After several seconds, he was finally able to regain control.

"It's my pleasure, Kyoko-chan. You look…" He said, trying to find the right word. Kyoko smiled.

"Cute?" She suggested, making a small twirl. Tsuna's answer shot out of his mouth without him even thinking.

"No."

That word's effects were immediate. Everything fell completely and totally silent; even the crickets stopped chirping. Ryohei glared at Tsuna like he had just killed a puppy. Yamamoto's and Ken's jaws dropped. Nagi covered her mouth in shock. Kyoko stopped mid-spin and looked at Tsuna with a hurt look on her face. The chauffeur in the limousine rolled down the window and looked at Tsuna questioningly.

"You look beautiful," Tsuna finished. The world let out a sigh of relief. The chauffeur took out pen and paper and started writing down notes. Kyoko blushed deeply. With that out of the way, Tsuna held out a small bouquet of flowers to Kyoko. She gasped when she saw them.

"Marigolds! How did you know?" She asked, gratefully accepting the bouquet of her favorite flowers. Tsuna rubbed the back of his head.

"Lucky guess, I suppose," He claimed. '_Thank you so much, Hana-san_,' He thought to himself.

_Flashback… Namimori Airport…_

"_What is it, Hana-san?" Tsuna asked when Hana pulled him away from the rest of the group, out of earshot. Hana pointed an accusing finger at him._

"_You… have a crush on Kyoko," She stated simply. Tsuna turned red._

"_I-I-I-I have no idea what you're talking about!" He lied. Hana lifted an eyebrow at him._

"_Oh? Is there something _wrong_ with Kyoko?" She asked maliciously. A flustered Tsuna began to open and close his mouth like a fish. Hana burst out laughing._

"_Kami, it's just so _fun_ messing with you!"_

"_I-is it really so obvious?"_

"_I hope you're kidding. Yes, it's incredibly obvious," Hana answered, patting him on the shoulder. Tsuna was silent. Hana smiled._

"_Listen. I'll give you some advice about Kyoko," She told him. His face brightened instantly._

"_Really?"_

"_Yup. Listen close, since I'm only gonna tell you once. First of all, her favorite flowers are marigolds…"_

_

* * *

_

Later…

"Why does Don Lambo have to come too?" The small child whined.

"Because I got suckered into being a chaperone at this dance by Mitsu-chan, and the servants begged me not to leave you alone with them. What did you _do_ to the poor people?" Otavio asked him, afraid of the answer. Lambo just stuck his finger up his nose. He was currently as dressed up as he had been at the ceremony, and on a very short leash from Otavio. No, literally. He was on a leash so he didn't cause any trouble.

"Seriously, Mitsu-chan. Why are we here again?" Cesare asked Iemitsu. Iemitsu glanced around the crowded pavilion where the dance was being held nervously.

"I've got a feeling…"

"That tonight's gonna be a GOOD night!" Hanabi chimed in musically, and broke down into laughter.

"Ha ha. Anyway, I've got a feeling that something's gonna happen tonight," Iemitsu finished, rolling his eyes at the CEDEF Serena.

"Your famed Hyper Intuition, huh?" Tsuyoshi asked rhetorically. Nevertheless, Iemitsu nodded.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Beppo, now in control of his body, dipped the ladle into the punch bowl, and poured the refreshment into a plastic cup. Gio had reluctantly granted him control over his body until the plan began, but if Beppo made any attempts to alert Tsuna, Gio would take control. Now, Beppo was working at the punch bowl for the hour until the attack started. He didn't really mind, though.

"One more hour, Beppo. Just one more hour…" His reflection in the punch bowl reminded him. In response, Beppo plunged the ladle into the punch, dismissing the reflection.

"Jerk," Beppo grumbled under his breath.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

From his perch on the roof, Hibari could see the entire pavilion, and every single herbivore just mingling without a care in the world. It made him completely sick. In the time since he'd heard of Mukuro's death, Hibari had become slightly melancholic. He had hated the illusionist with every fiber of his being, but he was a strong fighter who had once bested Hibari, albeit through unfair means. Still, he was one of the few people who could get Hibari's blood boiling. The only other people who could do that were the baby, Tsuna, on some occasions, Selvaggia, and his father. Hibari could feel a snarl growing in his throat at the thought of him.

"I thought I'd find you here, Kyoya," A familiar voice said from behind him. Hibari glanced back to see Selvaggia Placido wearing a dark purple dress, and unarmed. Hibari didn't move, waiting for her to take the first attack. It never came. Instead, she set herself down beside him.

"You're not supposed to be at the dance without a date," Selvaggia told him casually. Hibari scoffed.

"I've never heard that rule."

"It's true."

"Then where's your date?" Hibari questioned. Selvaggia answered with a swinging kick aimed at his face. Hibari caught it easily. Since she'd come unarmed, it seemed that she wanted to fight that way. Hibari could handle that.

The two began to fight bare handedly. To the casual observer, it would have seemed to be a fight, but the trained eye would be able to notice the details. They weren't fighting. They were almost _dancing_.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

The end of the year dance was evidently thrown by the Accademia, but in truth, it was sponsored almost entirely by the Vongola Famiglia, the Famiglia that had founded the Accademia almost fifty years ago. As such, there was the same orchestra and the same food as there had been at Tsuna's inheritance ceremony. Now, the band played a waltz, and there were couples covering the dance floor.

Tsuna had been dragged out by Kyoko, and both had admitted that they had absolutely no experience in dancing whatsoever. Nagi and Ken were dancing not that far off, but Ken had two left feet, and continually stepped on Nagi's. Yamamoto was playing musical dancing partners with whatever girl was without a partner at the moment, and Ryohei and Gokudera stood on the sidelines. Ryohei was fixing Tsuna with a stare that could intimidate a stampede of elephants, and Gokudera was coolly glancing around the ballroom for dangers and Lilia. So far, none of either.

As the maestro of the orchestra finished the song, he felt a tug on his pant leg. The maestro glanced down, and dropped his baton in surprise.

"Y-you are…! Maestro Rory Evans Bourne!" He gasped, flustered. The name passed through the orchestra like a ripple. The maestro bowed in respect to the esteemed conductor, and the entire orchestra mimicked him.

"Would you mind if I conducted a song, Maestro?" The diminutive musical genius requested in a squeaky voice.

"Of course, sir! We would be honored!" The maestro said, backing away from the pedestal, bowing the entire time. He offered his baton, but Rory Evans Bourne declined, instead taking out his own green baton. After pulling up a chair so he could reach the music stand, he began to pass out several pieces of paper to the musicians. As they read the music, there were numerous gasps of surprise at the choice. For himself, R.E. Bourne took out a packet of yellowed paper, which was the original of the copies that had just been passed out. He allowed the musicians a few minutes to familiarize themselves with the new music, and he began to fondle his curly sideburns as he waited.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Tsuna let out a sigh of relief as the song ended. It had been a mixture of excitement and terror dancing with Kyoko, and their dance was probably not very good, he admitted. Neither of them had any idea what they were doing.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" Kyoko asked him, smiling. Tsuna gave back the best smile he could muster.

"I-I guess not. How about some punch?" Tsuna suggested, praying that it would get him off the dance floor. Kyoko pouted.

"Just one more dance?" She pleaded. Tsuna couldn't bring himself to say no.

"Just one," He answered. Kyoko's eyes lit up, and she held out her hands for Tsuna to take. Tsuna held them, marveling at how soft her skin felt. When Kyoko touched the Vongola ring, it began to slightly glimmer, but neither of them noticed.

One by one, the musicians gave signs to the new maestro that they were ready to play. R.E. Bourne nodded, and tapped the sides of the stand with his baton. His hands started to move, starting the song in four-fourth time.

The only word to describe the song was "cacophony". Harmony between the instruments was literally nonexistent, making it sound as if they were all playing different songs. Heads turned to the band to find the source of the noise, and most of the musicians started to look confused. But then…

Above the clamor, a single note played, originating from the smallest and least noticed of the instruments in the percussion: the triangle. The chimes of the triangle sounded out beyond the other, larger instruments, keeping perfect time. Slowly, the other instruments began to fall into line. It started with the piano, then the flutes and clarinets, followed by the remainder of the percussion, with the other instruments joining in. The song that had been just loud noise had changed into a beautiful waltz, all following the lead of the triangle.

When the song turned towards order, Tsuna and Kyoko stopped dancing, and just stood stock still, their eyes staring off into nowhere. R.E. Bourne looked back at them and smiled to himself. This was just the reaction he'd been hoping for.

Tsuna and Kyoko began to move in a daze. They changed the position of their hands and slowly began to move. Both had empty expressions on their faces, as if they were both in Hyper Death Wish mode. The Vongola Ring, which had been glimmering earlier, was now in a full blaze on Tsuna's finger. Kyoko's eyes began to shine yellow as the Eccedere Limite activated on its own. Both of them were moving their bodies instinctually as they began to dance to the music. Their dance was perfectly in time to the orchestra, as the pair began to almost _glide_ along the floor. Heads were turned, jaws were dropped, and people began to spread out, giving more space to the two who had just stolen most of the dance floor. As the music picked up, orange and yellow fire began to trail behind them, forming graceful lines where they had walked.

"Woah…" Beppo whispered, completely in awe.

"What? Let me see…" Gio demanded from the reflection in the punch. Beppo's left pupil turned into a slit as Gio took slight control. When Gio saw the young Vongola and his Madonna dancing, the effect was immediate.

In a flash, Gio wrestled control away from Beppo, and a thick aura of bloodlust began to surround him.

"Giotto… Belladonna…" He growled. When he saw Tsuna and Kyoko dancing, he saw _them_ doing _that_ dance. The two people that he hated the most had returned, at least in his eyes. Gio took out a small earpiece from his pocket and began to speak into it.

"Change of plans. Begin the attack _now_," He ordered. The Dragone Guardians began to move at his command. Gio reached under the table and pulled out a long object, slinging it across his back. With one arm, he threw the table out of his way. Nobody noticed, since they were too enthralled by the dance happening before them. As Gio walked forward, the aura of bloodlust became so powerful that people began to move out of his way, backing up to a safe distance. Soon, Gio stood in the empty circle where Tsuna and Kyoko were still tracing lines of fire. One hand gripped the hilt of his sword, and the Dragone Ring began to burn.

"GIOTTO! BELLADONNA!" He bellowed, and brought the sword around in a wide arc. A wave of fire burst from it, headed straight towards the dancing pair, who had not noticed him yet.

The wave of fire never hit them. Tsuna and Kyoko leapt over the wave as it came, and landed softly on the ground. Now, Gio had everybody's attention. The trance that had the entire audience trapped was broken, and panic took control. The people scattered like roaches.

"Oh, _shit_. We've got incoming!" Iemitsu called out. A second later, Gio's reinforcements arrived. An enormous green tank, piloted by Ilario and the Tweedle Twins, burst out of the tree-line and aimed its cannon at one of the buildings, sending rubble falling down. Several people were crushed underneath, but the rubble was small, so the worst injuries were broken bones. From the rooftop across from Hibari's and Selvaggia's dance/fight, Lilia Fiametta took careful aim.

"Can't hide from me, Hayato!" She squealed as a rocket erupted from her launcher, streaking straight at the disguised Gokudera. It struck the ground in front of him, sending both himself and Ryohei, who had been standing next to him, sailing through the air. Ryohei landed with a thud at the feet of the Captain of the Accademia's Boxing Club, Paco Rodriguez.

"Get up, Ryohei. It's no fun kicking an enemy when he's down," He said coldly. Groaning, Ryohei rose to his knees.

"Captain… what are…?" Ryohei grunted, but was interrupted when Paco's knee met the bottom of his chin, nearly making him bite his tongue off and knocking him back down. Ryohei blacked out for an instant.

Yamamoto broke out of the crowd he had been trapped in and dashed towards Gokudera, who had been knocked unconscious by the blast. A single figure stood in his path, holding a rapier at his side.

"Ed, get out of the way!" Yamamoto screamed as he barreled towards the boy. In response, Edward (who HATED being called Ed) made a thrust at him, which Yamamoto easily avoided.

"What the…?"

"Take out your sword. It'll be no fun to kill you when you're unarmed," Edward ordered. Yamamoto pulled out Shigure Kintoki from its concealment under his jacket, and turned it into a full katana with a flick of his wrist.

"CEDEF, assist!" Iemitsu ordered. The five assembled members began to break off, but were stopped by a cage of stone that shot up from the ground. The Dragone Madonna stood not too far off, her metal covered fist embedded in the ground.

"If you make a move at all, Vongola, my Guardians will kill your friends," Gio threatened. Tsuna stared at him, now back to normal.

"B-Beppo? What are you doing?" Tsuna demanded. Gio burst out laughing.

"I… am not… BEPPO!" He bellowed, taking his glasses off and slicking back his hair.

"I AM YOUR DOOM!" Gio screamed, pointing the Spada di Dragone at Tsuna and Kyoko. Tsuna repositioned himself so that he was between the sword and Kyoko.

"Not if I can help it, _Dragone_," A deep, masculine voice spat. A small figure landed easily on the edge of Gio's sword, aiming a green pistol at him.

"I'd have said something wittier, but I was kind of pressed for time," The figure added.

"You… I remember _you_," Gio chuckled.

"R-Reborn?" Tsuna said silently. It was Reborn standing on the sword, but his high pitched Mickey Mouse-esque voice was gone, replaced with the deep voice they had heard earlier.

"Reborn? Is that what they're calling you now? HAH!" Gio laughed. Reborn tightened his grip on the pistol. Bloodlust was pulsing out of his small body like tsunamis.

"I threw away my old life long ago."

"So did I! I guess that makes us the same, _Xavier Vongola_!" Gio snapped. Reborn showed no emotion.

"I take it you're here for the Rings, Gio?" Reborn guessed.

"What if I am?"

"Fool. The Vongola Rings are different from the Flore Rings. They _choose _their masters. If you want the rings, you have to fight us fair and square," Reborn said.

"Oh, I know that! I just wanted to show you all my Famiglia's power beforehand!" Gio cackled.

It was over in an instant.

Paco jabbed Ryohei in the head, knocking him out cold. With an elegant flourish, Edward cut clean through Yamamoto's sword, fracturing it into pieces and carving out his initials on Yamamoto's chest. Chrome was knocked out from behind by a concealed Valeria, who ran away before Ken had the chance to counter. From the roof where Hibari and Selvaggia had been, Hibari was sent sailing through the air, crashing into a stone tower and making a crater. He passed out with a grin of excitement on his face. The Dragone Madonna pulled her fist from the ground, causing the cage around CEDEF and Lambo to collapse in on itself, crushing its captives. Tsuna watched on in horror.

"Beppo… You…"

"I SAID I'M NOT BEPPO, YOU NAÏVE BRAT!" Gio screamed. Tsuna clenched his fists. He wanted so much to pound his 'friend's' face in, but he hadn't brought his gloves with him. He _was _naïve.

Reborn began to laugh.

"What's so funny, Xavier?" Gio pressed.

"You call _him_ naïve. You can't even see through a basic illusion."

The bodies of CEDEF and Lambo disappeared from under the rubble of the stone cage. In a heartbeat, they reappeared. Iemitsu was standing directly behind Gio, his shovel pointed at the back of his head. Hanabi was standing next to Paco, fully ready to knock him out. Cesare popped up next to Lilia on the roof, aiming a gun at her head calmly. Otavio and Lambo appeared in front of the tank. Tsuyoshi had his sword pressed against Edward's neck. Speckles stood directly in front of the concealed Valeria's escape route, and another man appeared behind Selvaggia.

"Game's over, Dragone," Iemitsu said. Gio chuckled yet again.

"Over? Why, the game's hardly just begun."

The Dragone Famiglia, minus Gio, vanished into thin air.

"The Dragone Famiglia formally challenges the Vongola Famiglia to a Ring Battle. The Vongola Rings versus the Dragone Rings. The battles will take place here, in one month's time," Gio informed them as he began to fade. Reborn dropped to the ground as his support base vanished.

"Oh, but before I go…" Gio's disembodied voice said. He reappeared at Tsuna's right, and brought his sword up in an arc.

"Now we're even," He said, and vanished. Tsuna's right arm fell to the ground, disconnected from his shoulder. The last thing Tsuna heard before blacking out was Kyoko screaming shrilly.

* * *

Chapter 11 End

A/N The beginning has just ended. Now, the REAL battle begins. Booyah.

Flore – Flower

Yes, the entire Vongola Famiglia just got their asses handed to them on a silver platter. Even Hibari. Go ahead, hate me. And Tsuna got his arm cut off. Why? Simple! Gio was still pissed off that Giotto and Belladonna destroyed _his_ right arm, so he got payback!

Also, you should notice that I portrayed Reborn's voice as being deeper near the end of this chapter. Personally, I think that Reborn is in fact disguising his own voice on purpose. Look at the other Arcobaleno in the anime. Each of them, minus Reborn, has the same voice before and after their transformation. Thus, Reborn is hiding his own voice. Obviously.

Next chapter, the truth is told. About the Dragone Famiglia, about the Tri-Ni-Sette, about the Arcobaleno, and about Reborn. It's gonna be epic. And probably have more plot-holes in it than a story about Swiss cheese.

Oh, and what did you think about that music? If you think about it, it's kinda symbolic.

Okay, now I should _really_ get back to studying for exams.

Before I do, answer me honestly: Do I say "Meanwhile" too much?

Review!


	14. Chapter 12

Here's the latest chapter. Questions will be asked and answered. It has my take on Reborn's past and the truth about the Tri-Ni-Sette. As I said earlier, it will be full of more plot-holes than a story about Swiss cheese.

Chapter 12

* * *

The last thing Tsuna remembered was searing pain in his shoulder, the sensation of metal cutting through bone, muscle, and flesh, and a high pitched scream from Kyoko. Then, there was only darkness.

After Gio had disappeared with the rest of his Famiglia, things moved in an incredible hustle. The Vongola Guardians were quickly taken to the nearest hospital to be treated for concussions, lacerations, broken bones, and blood loss. The Guardians, except for Lambo, who had suffered no wounds during the battle, regained consciousness after a few hours, but Tsuna was out for three days.

"He _what_?" Nana screeched. Iemitsu tried his best to keep a calm face.

"There was an accident at the dance. A piece of scaffolding fell and crushed Tsuna's arm. He'll be alright, but…" Iemitsu started to explain/lie, but was stopped.

Iemitsu had been through a lot of pain in his life. He had been shot at least once by every model of firearm used in the Mafia. He'd been captured and tortured twice. He'd suffered paper cuts like knife wounds. None of this compared to the pain when Nana Sawada slapped him across the face.

"You expect me to believe… That _scaffolding_… Crushed my son's _arm_?" She screamed. Iemitsu had never seen this side of Nana.

"It's the truth."

"Sawada Iemitsu. If you can't tell me the truth _right now_, so help me, I will walk through that door and never come back," Nana threatened, pointing to the hospital's front door. Iemitsu's blood ran cold at the threat.

"Nana, I can't tell you," He said, defeated. There was a light zap on the side of his head, scorching a small burn mark on his hair. Iemitsu yelped and turned around. Otavio was leaning against a wall about ten feet away, pointing a finger at him.

"Just tell her the truth, Iemitsu," She told him.

"Did she just…?" Nana started to say, now confused at how Otavio had shot an arc of electricity from her finger.

"I can't tell her, Otavio, it's too… Ow!" Another zap from Otavio.

"Keep it up, and I'll keep turning up the voltage."

"I… Ow! Otavio, will you… Ow! Stop it, I'll… OW! Uncle! Uncle!" Iemitsu shouted when Otavio started drawing in so much electricity from the air that her hair was standing on end.

"Glad to hear it," She said, walking away. As she walked away, she tapped a passing intern on the ear, giving him a zap that was about half as powerful as a defibrillator. He screamed in pain as Otavio began to chuckle to herself.

"What just happened?" Nana finally asked. Iemitsu started patting down the places he had just been zapped, and were now slightly smoking.

"I just got zapped by the queen of static electricity."

After that, Iemitsu told Nana the whole truth.

And as he spoke to her, the Guardians began to stir…

_

* * *

_

Gokudera…

The instant Gokudera regained consciousness, he shot up like a bullet.

"Decimo! Where's the Decimo?" He demanded, making Cesare jump a few feet in surprise. Gokudera quickly tried to get out of bed, but a very buff looking nurse shoved him back down.

"The doctor said you weren't allowed out of bed," She said gruffly, crossing her enormous arms. Gokudera tried to get up again, only to be smacked down again.

"Where… Is… The… DECIMO!" He bellowed as he began to fall into a pattern akin to a yo-yo as the nurse blocked all his attempts to stand up.

"Hayato, calm down! The Decimo's safe!" Cesare reassured him. It had no effect whatsoever, as Gokudera was seemingly intent on finding Tsuna and then apologizing until his throat bled.

_

* * *

_

Hibari…

"Hibari! Hibari!" The small yellow bird chirped as it circled around the unconscious Nuvola's head. Hibari woke up instantly, and tried to stand up. He couldn't budge. While he'd been asleep, he'd been literally chained down to the bed. Hibari started to struggle, but the iron chains weren't affected.

"Don't bother, Kyoya. Those chains are there for your protection. And mine, for that matter," A voice said from the other side of the room. Hibari's eyes shot to the owner of the voice. His struggling began to increase, and the chains were starting to creak slightly.

"Now, now, Kyoya. Not going to say hello to your dear old dad?" The man, Saigo Hibari, asked sarcastically. Saigo was sitting in a chair, calmly reading a book, a friendly smile on his face. He looked like an elder version of Hibari, except for the almost frightening friendly look on his face, one that Hibari would never be seen sporting.

"Go to hell, Saigo," Hibari spat at his father. Saigo closed his book with a loud clap.

"No need to be rude, son. The least you can do is show a little appreciation. I did get you down from that rooftop, you know," Saigo pointed out.

"Yeah. It's also your fault that Mom's dead," His son reminded him coldly. Saigo clenched his fists.

"I'd hoped you'd forgiven me for that," He said regrettably. Hibari's struggles continued to strengthen, until finally, the chains shattered. In an instant, Hibari was barreling straight at his father, screaming in rage. Saigo calmly opened up his book again, not paying his son any attention.

Hibari swung his fist in sheer rage, but his father caught it with one hand. His left hand. The attacks continued relentlessly, and were all blocked by Saigo's left hand.

"Son, you are…" Saigo started, and then thrust his hand through Hibari's attacks and struck him in the gut, knocking him out cold.

"…A hundred years too early to take me on."

_

* * *

_

Ryohei…

"I AM EXTREMELY AWAKE!"

"Ryohei, will you please keep your voice…"

"I AM EXTREMELY GLAD TO HEAR IT!"

"Hanabi, not you too…"

"TIME FOR AN EXTREME MORNING RUN!"

"No, the doctor said…"

"LAY BACK DOWN RIGHT NOW, BRAT!"

"Thank you, Hanabi. I was just saying that…"

"AND START DOING SOME EXTREME SIT UPS!"

"THAT MAKES AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF SENSE, MOM!"

"I KNOW!"

"Oh, for crying out loud," Toumaru groaned. His son was completely insane.

"WAIT! WHY AM I IN AN EXTREME HOSPITAL!"

"Oh, now he realizes. Ryohei, you were…"

"YOU EXTREMELY GOT YOUR ASS HANDED TO YOU BY SOME WEAKLING!"

"I DID? I THINK I NEED SOME EXTREME TRAINING!"

"LEAVE IT TO ME, BRAT!"

"THANKS, MOM!"

"Excuse me, but the other patients would like you to keep your voices down…" A doctor poked his head into the room, sticking his fingers in his ears to block out the noise.

"You may have better luck curing cancer," Toumaru told him. The doctor quickly left.

"WAIT! WHERE'S KYOKO!"

"I HAVE NO EXTREME CLUE!"

"She's with Tsuna…"

"BUT I THINK SHE MAY BE WITH TSUNA!"

"I just said that…"

_

* * *

_

Nagi…

"Ken, calm down. There was nothing you could have done," Chikusa tried to tell the distraught Ken.

"Shut up, byon! I was careless! I should have smelled that girl coming a mile away, but I wasn't good enough, byon!"

"Ken, sit down and shut up, or so help me, I'll start playing Mozart's Fourth," M.M. threatened. It worked. Ken quickly fell silent. Nothing good ever happened when M.M. started playing the Fourth. She calmly redid the clasps on the case of her dreaded clarinet.

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement. Now… Jiji! Djidji! Stop trying to feed her that stuff!" M.M. snapped. The Bloody Twins jumped back, having tried to feed the sleeping Nagi some of their brown paste. Djidji started to lick the spoon as Jiji buried his face in the bowl. Nagi began to rustle in her bed.

"Mmm…" She groaned, starting to sit up. She licked her dry lips, mopping up the remnants of the paste that had been smeared around her mouth. The Twins began to clap joyously, thinking that it was their paste that woke her up.

"Oh. She's awake, she's awake," Fran said in a monotone. Ken let out a sigh of relief.

"Wh… Where am I? What happened?" Nagi mumbled, rubbing her head.

"Reborn said that he'd explain what was…"

"Wait," Nagi cut Chikusa off. She swiped the bowl of paste from Jiji and started to eat the strange gook.

All Nagi said in explanation was, "I'm hungry."

_

* * *

_

Yamamoto…

Yamamoto's eyes sprang open and he shot up, his arm reaching out for his sword in reflex and not finding it. Tsuyoshi, who had been napping in a chair nearby, woke with a jump.

"Where is this place? Where is everyone?" Yamamoto demanded, his face deadly serious.

"Takeshi, calm down. You're in the hospital, and everyone's okay. Judging from the shouts I've been hearing, they're starting to wake up too," Tsuyoshi remarked, trying to calm his son.

"What happened, Pops?" Yamamoto demanded again, starting to calm down.

"Frankly, son, you got your ass handed to you by a Zorro wannabe. He really did a number on you," Tsuyoshi answered. Yamamoto glanced down at his chest, which was covered in bandages.

"Pops, who were all those people?"

"They were an old Famiglia called the Dragone. Very old. Reborn's gonna tell you the whole story once everyone's up and about."

"What happened to Tsuna?"

"He _really_ took a beating."

_

* * *

_

Tsuna…

Tsuna was still unconscious, laying in a private hospital room with several machines all around him monitoring his vital signs, which were all healthy, but the doctors didn't want to take any chances with one of the most important men in Italy. If he was to die due to their negligence, they would have the most powerful Famiglia in Italy out for their blood, which was something they could do without.

Now, the room was empty, except for Tsuna, who was, as I have said, unconscious, and Kyoko, who was sitting next to his bed. After Gio had disappeared, Kyoko had tried her best to help the bleeding Tsuna, going so far as to use the red folds of her dress to keep too much blood from escaping. The bloodstains had ruined it. Now, she hadn't left Tsuna's side, unless demanded by a doctor, but she came back.

As she watched Tsuna's sleeping face, Kyoko began to feel a strange urge coming over her. Had she been fully awake, she could have easily shoved it to the back of her mind, but she hadn't slept since the dance, weakening her willpower. Now, she began to move on the urge that was now commanding her mind.

Not long after Tsuna had been forcibly smooched by Lilia, Kyoko began to feel weird when she looked at Tsuna. Whenever she looked at him, her mind brought up an image of him with his lips pressed against that girl's, and an aching feeling developed in her heart as her lips began to tingle. Kyoko had been feeling _jealous_.

She began to lean forward, hovering over the sleeping boy, his slow breath tickling her face. Kyoko began to slowly bend closer, as the logical part of her mind screamed at her to stop. She ignored it completely as she continued her descent towards Tsuna's lips. As she drew closer, her lips started to tingle like they were on fire, and her heart began to thump in her chest like machine gun fire. So close… five centimeters… four… three… two… one…

Contact.

Tsuna's heart monitor literally skipped a beat before resuming its regular pace. Warmth began to spread through Kyoko's body as she pressed her lips to his. The logical part of her brain that had been telling her to stop was completely silent.

FLASH!

Kyoko jumped back. Her eyes darted towards the source of the light. There stood Reborn, holding a green Polaroid camera to his face. A photo popped out, which Reborn pulled out and started waving in the air. Leon reverted to his usual shape.

"Wonderful first kiss. Of course, it would have been better if Dame-Tsuna had been awake, but I'm just glad I got a photo," Reborn confessed, marveling his handiwork. Kyoko turned a deep shade of red.

"R-Reborn-chan! What are you going to do with that ph-photo?" Kyoko demanded, her heart continuing to beat rapidly in her chest. Reborn shrugged.

"Probably frame it. Put it in my living room somewhere. I'll probably bring it out during your wedding. Or I'll show it to Tsuna if I get bored. The possibilities are _endless_," Reborn sighed, tucking the picture away in his jacket, "But I suppose I'm getting ahead of myself."

"I-I-I-I honestly have no idea what I was doing! It just… happened! I swear!" Kyoko stammered, completely ignoring what Reborn had just said.

"Oh, don't worry. Your secret is safe with me," Reborn promised, rubbing his hands together evilly in his mind, "On one condition."

"Wh-what?" Kyoko asked. She knew that if her brother or mother heard about what had just happened, they would probably misunderstand it and call for Tsuna's head on a platter. Reborn smirked, and tossed a small metal object to Kyoko, who caught it clumsily. When she opened her hands to look at it, she saw a small ring, with a pearl in the center, surrounded by the word "Vongola".

"Put it on," Reborn told her. Kyoko shot him a confused glance, and then slipped the small band of metal onto her right ring finger. When it was settled on comfortably, the pearl began to glow a beautiful golden yellow. Kyoko gasped, as Reborn's smile widened.

"Welcome to the Vongola Famiglia, Madonna Kyoko Sasagawa."

_

* * *

_

In the Madreperla…

Tsuna opened his eyes to see the blank expanse of the Madreperla around him. He turned around, looking for anything that stuck out, only to see the whiteness extending into infinity. Tsuna's eyes shot to his right arm, to see that the sleeve of the suit that he was wearing, for some strange reason, was empty. Tsuna clutched it with his left arm to make sure.

"Welcome back to the Madreperla, Tsunayoshi-kun," A familiar voice said. Tsuna turned around, to see the Primo, Giotto, the Ottavo, Daniela, and the Nono, Timoteo, sitting in the same chairs he'd seen them in last time. They were all seated around a small table with a pot of tea on it, and there was one vacant seat and cup of tea, which Tsuna assumed were for him.

"Sit down, young Decimo. We have much to discuss," Giotto beckoned him. Tsuna quickly sat down. There was something in this man's voice that made him want to listen.

"I am certain you have questions," Giotto said. Tsuna opened his mouth to talk, but was silenced by one finger.

"…And you don't have to say it. I know what you're going to ask. First, the reason you are here. The reason you are back here is because we called you here, young Decimo. Second, no, this is not an illusion, as Xavier would have you believe. As for who Xavier is, I will pass that on to the Ottavo," Giotto finished, nodding to Daniela.

"Reborn, as I've heard you call him, is my younger brother, Xavier Marcus Vongola. The reason he calls himself Reborn now will come at the end of the Primo's story," Daniela said, giving the reins of the conversation back to Giotto.

"Those people who attacked you and took your arm were the Dragone Famiglia, an old, old enemy of mine. It all started almost, oh, three hundred years ago…"

_

* * *

_

Flashback…

_Before I began the Vongola Famiglia, I was a simple policeman. It was supposed to be my job to punish the unjust, but the people who pulled all the strings in that day were the very people I was supposed to punish. I watched on in anger as my corrupt coworkers took bribes from the politicians, the drug lords, the murderers, and the Mafia, and then clenched my teeth as I watched them avert their eyes from the hideous deeds happening right in front of them. I was so completely helpless, so unable to do anything. I hated it with all my heart. I could do_ nothing_._

_Until that day._

_That day in mid April that changed my life forever. When I woke up that day, I felt a strange… tugging at the back of my mind, leading me somewhere. I followed it, and was led to the middle of a forest outside Rome. I wasn't the only one who had heard the calling. With me were two others, a fisherman named Adriano Giglio-Nero, and a florist named Clelia Flore. They told me they had the same pull to come to this place. It was there that we found the Tri-Ni-Sette, or maybe _it_ found _us_._

_The Tri-Ni-Sette were three sets of seven rings, or eight if you counted the Madonna Rings, but they were not a part of the Sette. They had been forged long before we had been born, using metal that bubbled up from the core of the Earth. With it, we found _power_. The power we needed to change things._

_The Vongola Rings led me on a journey halfway around the world to find their correct bearers. The easiest to locate were two of my own coworkers with similar ideals: my close friend Tempesta Gokudera, or G. as some called him, and Alaude, who became my Tempesta and Nuvola Guardians. Then, the Rings led me to an arena where a boxing tournament was being held. There, I met Knuckle, who would become my Serena Guardian, and his sister, Belladonna, who would become my lover and Madonna. Although, truthfully, I literally became about as shy as a schoolboy whenever I was around her, at first. Could barely form a coherent sentence. _

_Next, the Rings led me to northern Italy, where I found my Fulmine, Lampo Bovino. Of course, I found him after I stepped on him when he was taking a nap in one of his father's fields, the lazy brat. Following the Ring's instructions, I boarded a boat headed towards the east. Not long after embarking, the ship was raided by a crew of pirates, and their captain, a man called Demon Spade. I was able to defeat the majority of the crew, and fought Spade to a standstill. The Nebbia Ring chose him, and he grudgingly accepted it, although he said that it was only so he could have a better chance to kill me._

_Finally, after making port in Edo, Japan, I was led to a musician named Asari Ugetsu. He was an amazing flautist, a very good friend, and an astronomical swordsman, the first master of his own style of swordsmanship, which he called _Shigure Soen Ryu_. The Ring selected him to be the bearer of the Pioggia. _

_After all the Rings had been distributed, I returned to Italy, and brought up the Vongola Famiglia. We weren't a crime family, we were the justice that the people deserved to protect them. For the first time in my life, I was happy._

_Then he came along. Gio Dragone._

_Gio had been a drug lord, and was as greedy as King Midas. When word about the Tri-Ni-Sette and all its power spread, Gio decided something: he wanted in on it. _

_He turned to the Flore Famiglia, a group of pacifists that followed Clelia Flore, who had received the Flore Rings. He slaughtered them, and took their rings, then melted them down to form his own rings; The Dragone Rings._

_For the next few years, he would bring terror to Italy. It was all the Vongola could do to keep up with them, until the final showdown. In the battle, the Dragone were defeated, but at a heavy cost. During my battle with Gio, Belladonna sacrificed her life to save mine. The Dragone Rings were snatched out from under our noses, but I didn't care anymore. I made the greatest mistake of my life, and turned the Vongola over to my cousin, Iian, and left Italy for Japan. I lived out the rest of my life there, away from the Mafia. I wanted no more to do with it._

_

* * *

_

End Flashback

"What happened after that?" Tsuna asked. The story had him completely enthralled.

"The Dragone survived after that battle, squaring off with us for generations," Daniela began.

"It was during my reign as the Ottavo that they were finally defeated, and the Rings reclaimed. I gave up my life for that victory."

_

* * *

_

Flashback

_The arrow of flame bore through the Dragone Ottavo's stomach, leaving a splotch of blood and gore on the wall behind him. The man keeled over instantly, dead. Daniela Vongola, the Ottavo, panted. The fight had been a long one, and she'd suffered wounds that would kill an average man from blood loss, but she stood now, albeit shakily. Her legs collapsed from underneath her._

"_DANIELA!" Her brother screamed. He dashed towards her, catching her on her way down._

"_H-hey, Xavier. Everything's gone well?" Daniela said weakly. Tears came to Xavier's eyes._

"_Daniela, don't die, _please_. Don't let this beat you…" Xavier begged, realizing that his sister had little time to live. She began to laugh softly, and started coughing up blood. _

"'_Fraid not. This is as far as I go," She whispered. "Take care of Timoteo for me, would you?" She asked him on her last breath. The light left her eyes, and every muscle in her body relaxed. Daniela Vongola was dead. Xavier threw his head back and howled, tears streaming down his face._

_In an instant, his battle reflexes kicked in, and he brought out his gun. He fired one shot, and the stealth specialist who had been sent to reclaim the Dragone Ring before the Vongola could fell over with a new hole in his head. The Dragone Ring clattered to the marble floor._

_

* * *

_

End Flashback

"Then where'd the Arcobaleno come from?"

"I'll take this one," Timoteo said.

"The Dragone Rings were reclaimed and melted down, in an attempt to return them to their former shape as the Flore Rings. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Instead of forming the flowers like they were supposed to, the rings were merely seeds. The Arcobaleno Pacifiers. The Pacifiers chose their bearers, my uncle among them, and changed them into children, taking away their ability to age. We believe that when Gio Dragone forged the Dragone Rings, he only used around half of each of the Flore Rings. We're not sure if it was precaution or if they couldn't use the rest. Now it would seem that this generation has found the other half of the Flore Rings, and used them to make new Rings," Timoteo finished.

"If the Dragone Rings are brought back together with the Arcobaleno Pacifiers, they will turn back into the Flore Rings, and break the Arcobaleno's curse. You cannot allow the Dragone to win, young Decimo. If they get their hands on the Vongola Rings, they will have the entirety of Italy resting in the palms of their hands. I am sorry that this is all we can do for you, but… Good luck."

_

* * *

_

Later…

Tsuna's eyes crept open and began to adjust to the light.

"Good to see you're finally awake, Casanova," Reborn's deep voice said to him. Tsuna groggily turned his head to look at the baby mafioso.

"Re – Xavier, why are you calling me Casanova?" Tsuna corrected himself on the name. He was met with a wooden plank to the head.

"Don't call me that. While I'm like this, I'm Reborn," He corrected the boy who now had a headache, and was now clutching his head in pain.

"How long have I been out? Where is everyone?" Tsuna demanded once the pain had subsided.

"Three days. Various places," Reborn answered, "They went off to train with CEDEF. Hanabi took Ryohei to the pool behind the mansion, Cesare took Gokudera… somewhere, I'm not sure where, Otavio took Lambo to the Bovino Manor in the north, Speckles took Nagi somewhere nearby, Tsuyoshi took Yamamoto too some mountain a few kilometers away, Saigo ran off somewhere with Hibari hot on his heels…"

"Who's Saigo? And everyone's parents are in CEDEF?" Tsuna clarified, surprised at the sudden revelation.

"Saigo is Hibari's father. I've been told the two don't quite get along. And yes, they are. Or were, in some cases. Anyway, Hibari went after Saigo, and Lal Mirch took Leon and Kyoko to the south. I have no clue where," Reborn finished. Tsuna froze.

"Reborn, what did you just say," He said icily.

"I have no clue where."

"Did you just say that Lal Mirch took Kyoko?"

"Tsuna, don't freak out. Yes," Reborn admitted.

"Reborn, what did I say about Kyoko? I could have sworn I told you not to approach her about the Madonna," Tsuna snarled, anger evident on his face. Reborn held his composure.

"Tsuna, I had no choice."

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we…"

"Takeshi, I swear, if you ask me _one more time_, the Dragone will be the _least _of your problems," Tsuyoshi threatened, turning on his son. Yamamoto grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. Tsuyoshi groaned, and continued walking.

"Where are we going, anyway?" His son asked, catching up and hopping over a stray root. The two were in the middle of a forest, on a steep hill up a mountain, where they'd been walking for around six hours now.

"To see my old master," Tsuyoshi answered simply.

"And this guy lives all the way out here?" Yamamoto asked. All of the sudden, Tsuyoshi stopped, and held out a hand to stop his son. He pressed a finger to his lips for silence.

"Takeshi, step back," He ordered. Yamamoto quickly complied, backtracking a few steps as his father placed his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist. Yamamoto glanced around and strained his ears, but couldn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

"Pops, what's…"

"IRASSHAI!" An old voice shouted out. All of the sudden, a figure fell down from the tree tops, dressed in red and white, and wielding a dai-katana, readying it to slash. Tsuyoshi unsheathed his sword and brought it up to block, but the attacker twisted in midair to avoid the block, and brought the sword down on Tsuyoshi's forehead. He fell to the ground, and the attacker landed easily in front of Yamamoto, swiping the sword at his neck. Yamamoto ducked quickly, only to be met with a kick to his face, knocking him over. The attacker pointed the blade at his face.

"Yare, yare, Tsuyoshi. This is all you bring me?" The figure said grumpily. She was an old woman, with wrinkled skin and white hair, wearing a shrine maiden's garb. Tsuyoshi sat up, rubbing his forehead, which now bore a stamp that read "idiot" in Japanese.

"Yes, master. I came here so you could train him as you did me," He said, trying to be respectful but sounding a little bit grumpy.

"Y-you're Pops' old master?" Yamamoto asked, still feeling threatened by the sword in his face.

"My master, Asari Shigure," Tsuyoshi answered.

"Quiet, brat."

"Yes, mama," Tsuyoshi said quickly, beginning to cower reflexively.

"M-mama?"

"That's right, Takeshi. Say hello to Gramma," Yamamoto Shigure, née Asari, said triumphantly. Yamamoto's jaw dropped.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

"Run faster!"

"H-hai!"

"Too fast!"

"H-hai!"

"Too slow!"

"H-hai!"Kyoko screamed out, picking up the pace yet again. On top of her head sat Lal Mirch, the corrupted Arcobaleno and member of CEDEF who was in charge of training her. Leon sat on her head. Now, Kyoko had been running for hours, following Lal's orders regarding directions and speed. She was beginning to suspect that Lal herself had no idea where they were running to, but kept quiet. Now, they were running through a small town south of Rome, drawing quite a few stares from passerby. Who wouldn't stare at a sweating young girl in workout clothes with a baby and a chameleon on her head?

"Stop!" Lal ordered. Kyoko skidded to a halt instantly.

"Turn right!" Lal commanded. Kyoko did so. A huge smile broke across her face, as a scowl formed on Lal's. The small child snatched the green chameleon and started shaking it around.

"Reborn said you'd know where we had to go, but you led us to a _cake shop_?" She screamed. Leon grinned smugly.

"Lal-san, can we…?" Kyoko began to ask, but was cut off by a firm "No.".

* * *

Chapter 12 End

A/N Okay, I should have an excuse. I don't. I was just procrastinating. Heh heh. Sorry.

Anyway, the action starts here and now. The next chapter will be about the Guardian's training.

This chapter introduced Asari Shigure, Yamamoto's grandmother and former Pioggia Guardian for the Vongola Nono. Who are the other Guardians? Oh, what the hell. I'll tell you.

Tempesta: Jonathan Shamal

Nebbia: Harry Houdini

Serena: Bruce Lee

Nuvola: The Doctor (Oh yeah, that's right.)

Pioggia: Asari Shigure

Fulmine: Nikola Tesla

What's that? Houdini was dead before Timoteo was born? Tesla was an old man?

Do I care?

Another pressing matter. To the anonymous reviewer who DIDN'T EVEN LEAVE A NAME:

I really, really don't like you.

I said it myself a few chapters ago: I DO NOT LIKE BEING TOLD BY MY REVIEWERS THAT I SHOULD UPDATE QUICKLY. UNLESS THEY ASK POLITELY. JUST SAYING "DAMMITDAMMIT HURRY UP AN UPDATE" IS NOT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER POLITE. NOW, THE NEXT TIME YOU REVIEW, TRY TO PHRASE IT A BIT BETTER, OR I SWEAR, I'LL START TAKING A FEW MONTHS TO UPDATE _ON PURPOSE_. THANK YOU AND GO SCREW YOURSELF.

Well, glad I got that off my chest. All of the other reviewers are OK. I don't care if I was just rude, I REALLY don't like being told what to do by cowards who don't even leave a name behind. No offense to other anonymous reviewers. The only reason I haven't deleted that review I just raged against is to show you people what I don't tolerate. Please keep that in mind next time you review, and I won't have to rage against you as well.

Review!


	15. Chapter 13

Here is lucky chapter number thirteen!

Chapter 13

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Lambo…

Alarms started blaring. Fragile objects were moved out of reach, and the candy jar was put under heavy lock. All the servants were issued a pair of earplugs, a lollipop to be used as a distraction, and a single tranquilizer dart, to be used in a worst case scenario. What had the entirety of the Bovino Manor so scared?

Lambo Bovino was headed home.

"Gyuhaihaihai! Don Lambo is home!" The child in question squealed as he hopped out of the limo, his aunt behind him. The Bovino Manor was situated in the hills of northern Italy, not unlike the Fulmine Manor in the Vongola Complex, complete with the grazing cattle in the fields, although these cows seemed to be a little bit plumper. From the front door of the manor, a man in his thirties came out. He had short, shaggy black hair, one eye open, and wore the customary dark suit of the mafia, sans the jacket. One hand was behind his back. Lambo's eyes lit up when he saw the man.

"PAPA!" Lambo screamed, streaking towards the man like a black and white blur. The man groaned, and when Lambo was within arm's reach, pulled his hand from behind his back. Lambo ran face first into a black cooking pan, and slid to the ground, unconscious.

"Salute, brother," Otavio greeted, approaching her sibling calmer than her nephew had.

"Salute, Otavi – OW!" The man yelped as a small bolt of lightning from Otavio's hand scorched his forehead. He fell over.

"That, Grigori, was for giving your stupid son the Ten Year Bazooka," Otavio explained, standing over her younger brother's cowering form.

"Must… Stay… Calm…" Grigori Bovino, the Bovino Nono, whined under his breath, trying to fight back tears. Otavio zapped him again, this time a little bit stronger.

"Ow!"

"That was for sending him on a suicide mission."

Zap.

"Ow!"

"That was for not bothering to call him for almost a year."

Zap.

"OW!"

"That… was just because I felt like it."

Her brother started bawling.

Zap.

"That was for being a sissy."

"Stop hitting me! Mommy told you not to hit me!"

Zap.

"Just shut up and prep for the operation," Otavio ordered, stepping over her brother's smoldering body into the manor.

"Otavio, I still think it's too risky to give him the Modificazione when he's still growing. Heck, he'll beat your own record for being the youngest to receive it by, what, ten years?" Grigori called out to her as she opened the door. In response, Otavio pointed at him again. Grigori flinched, whimpering.

"That record never meant anything to me, Grigori," She said, and kept walking. Grigori rolled his eyes, and scooped up his unconscious son, following his elder sister into the manor.

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Nagi…

Nagi looked out the window as the scenery blurred past the limo. She'd been in the limo for almost three hours, driving off under the elusive CEDEF Nebbia Guardian's instructions. The letter he had left behind said that he would meet her at her destination, wherever that was. Only the driver seemed to know where that _was_.

"Donna Nebbia? We've arrived," The driver alerted her. The car slowed down to a stop on an abandoned road, with trees on one side and rocky terrain on the other, with a mountain off in the distance. Nagi looked around.

"Are you sure?" She asked. The driver shrugged.

"It's where I was told to go. You're supposed to head towards that mountain," The driver told her, pointing toward the mountain. Still slightly uncertain, Nagi opened the door and stepped out, stretching her legs out. She turned to the driver.

"Thank you for driving me so far," She thanked him, bowing respectfully. A slight blush formed on his cheeks.

"No problem, Donna Nebbia," He said, tipping his hat to her. Nagi turned toward the mountain and began to walk to it at a brisk pace. As soon as the limo and its driver were out of her sight, they faded from existence like a morning mist.

Nagi walked for almost half an hour, the slope slowly getting steeper as she continued. Finally, she hit a dead end in the form of a bare cliff. Nagi made a full turn, looking for anything out of the ordinary. When she had her back to the cliff, a chilling voice whispered in her ear.

"_Turn around_."

Nagi turned quickly, looking for the source of the voice. Her eyes widened when she looked at the cliff. The mouth of a cave was carved into the wall, and Nagi could swear that there hadn't been one there before. The voice whispered in her ear again.

"_Come in, dear Nagi. It's nice and cool inside_," It hissed. Nagi noticed that she _was_ feeling hot, and was starting to sweat slightly. She walked into the cave as fast as she could. It _did_ look quite cool inside.

When Nagi entered the cave, it became instantaneously dark. Nagi turned around to look at the entrance, but it was gone.

"Nagi…" A disembodied voice called out. Nagi turned around, looking for the source of the noise. There was only darkness.

"H-hello? Is anyone there?" She called out, fear starting to show in her voice. She blinked once, and when her eyes reopened, the darkness was gone. In front of her was a scene she knew too well.

Almost half a dozen children were playing a game of wall ball, laughing with joy, and there was a swing set with one child on it. The young girl had short, purple hair, and she was staring at the ground, looking ready to cry. Nagi's heart rate jumped up. That was _her_. Suddenly, Nagi found herself sitting next to her younger self on the swings.

"Nagi! I'm leaving with or without you!" A voice called out. The younger Nagi looked up, and jumped off the swing, walking towards her mother. The elder Nagi looked toward the road, and saw what was about to happen. The same black cat with white spots and indigo ribbon around its neck walking out into the road, and the same car headed straight towards it. Her younger self saw it too, and without thinking, ran directly to the cat. Nagi reached out to stop herself from doing it, but her hand passed through her younger self like she was a ghost.

Nagi watched as her younger self tackled the cat, throwing it out of the way, and saw the car coming down on her small form. Nagi closed her eyes and turned away at the last second, expecting to hear that same crash. It never came. Nagi opened her eyes and looked back. It was as if time had stopped at the instant before the hit, and the young Nagi was frozen in midair. The cat was still moving as it inspected the scene. Nagi's heart was threatening to burst through her chest.

"What's going…?" Nagi asked to herself, shocked. The cat looked at her and smiled. The scene faded away, until Nagi and the cat were standing in the cave, but there was now an unknown source of light.

"It was an illusion, dear Nagi. Just a memory," The cat reassured her, padding up to her feet. Nagi took a step back.

"You… You're that cat…" She uttered in disbelief. The cat nodded.

"I have been called many names in the past. Bast, Sir Pickles, Chester the Wonder Cat. But you may call me Speckles, my dear," Speckles introduced himself, giving a bow, "And I am to be your teacher in the arts of illusion."

"A… Cat?"

"Yes, a cat. Now, shall we go?" Speckles asked. In an instant, the cave disappeared. Nagi and Speckles were left standing in front of the entrance to the Nebbia Manor.

"Wh-wh-wh-what?" Nagi stammered, taking in all of her surroundings. She could remember the entirety of the limo trip, and the subsequent half hour walk to the mountain. Had it all been an illusion?

"There are three illusionists in the world now that can perform the great feat of fooling a Vendici. Viper, the Arcobaleno, a man in Japan named Kawahira, and myself," Speckles explained, grinning at Nagi, "And I'm going to make you the fourth."

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Yamamoto…

On a mountain in Italy, there was a building that stuck out like a sore thumb. Not just because it was the only building on the mountain, though; it would have stuck out even if it had been in the middle of a suburb of average Italian houses. The reason it would have stuck out so much was because of how it was built; there weren't many Japanese style homes on mountains in Italy, so of _course _it stuck out.

"Mom, I know that you haven't seen Takeshi in years, and your grandmotherly instincts have been withheld, but… isn't this a little much?"

"The kid could stand having some meat on his bones. He's as thin as a stick!"

"He's _lean_, Mom."

"He's not eating fast enough. Pick up the pace, kid, or I'll show you why they called me the Bloody Drizzle," Shigure threatened, brandishing her cooking knife at her grandson. Takeshi paled, and started shoveling in food at an even faster rate.

As soon as Takeshi and Tsuyoshi arrived at Shigure's house, Takeshi had been sat down to an enormous Japanese feast, prepared by his grandmother. When he was almost done with the meal, Shigure then started to make seconds, then thirds. All of which her 'malnourished' grandson was expected to eat. In the meanwhile, Tsuyoshi had only been given a bowl of rice.

"Gochisousama deshita!" Takeshi called out when he finished the last of the meal. The feast had lasted long into the night, and Takeshi was now bloated from the food, and drowsy from the lack of sleep. Shigure chuckled, and started to clear the plates.

"Very good. A proper follower of Bushido must always eat what is set in front of him," Shigure quoted as she stacked the plates away and came back for the rest.

"I don't think there's anything about table manners in Bushido, baa-chan," Takeshi responded to his grandmother's retreating form. A fraction of a second later, Shigure's cooking knife was embedded in the floor an inch from Takeshi's leg. He didn't flinch; he was in awe. He hadn't even seen her throw the knife; if she'd actually been trying to kill him, he'd be dead. She continued on her course to the kitchen, and returned a moment later, sitting in seiza on a mat, pulling out a long pipe and putting it in her mouth.

"A proper knowledge of Bushido, and an unwavering resolve. You'll make a good swordsman, Takeshi-kun. However," She let out a puff of smoke, "No swordsman is complete without his sword, and I believe that's what you came here for, isn't it?"

Takeshi nodded, and reached for his sword case, emptying it on the ground in front of Shigure. The numerous shards that had formed Shigure Kintoki clattered to the ground, followed by the hilt. After the sword had been broken by Edmund, it hadn't returned to its usual Shinai form. Takeshi quickly did his best to arrange them.

"Please, re-forge Shigure Kintoki, baa-chan!" Takeshi pleaded, bowing so low that his forehead touched the ground. Shigure, as much of a sword-smith as she was a swords-master, looked over the fragments appraisingly. She picked up the largest of them and angled it towards the light, mumbling to herself under her breath. Finally, she put it back.

"The person who did this to the sword… do you intend to fight him again?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then this sword is not going to, pardon the pun, cut it," Shigure said, a small smile on her face. Takeshi looked up at her, surprised.

"What do you mean?"

"The other person's sword… it was a rapier, correct?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"A trained eye can see these things, Takeshi-kun. Anyway, there is only one way a rapier, which is more of a stabbing weapon than a slicing weapon, could cut through a sword like this. It would have to be made of Excalibrite."

"Excalibrite?" Takeshi repeated. Behind him, Tsuyoshi rolled his eyes.

"It's an alloy of titanium and iron. Very sharp, very hard to make. It can cut through regular steel like it's made of paper. You'll need a new sword, and lucky for you," She let out another puff of smoke, "I just so happen to have some spare Excalibrite to make one." Takeshi's eyes lit up.

"However, there is one thing I need you to do for me," Shigure added, a sly grin forming on her face.

"What?" Takeshi eagerly asked.

"In order to finish the forging process, I need some special water," She explained. Tsuyoshi's eyes widened. "At the very top of the mountain is a shrine. Inside the shrine is a well that contains the water I need. Fill this," Shigure reached under the table and produced an azure katana sheath and hilt, and passed the empty container to Takeshi, "With water from that well, and come back. Remember, it has to be filled to the brim."

Takeshi nodded. "All right, I'll take care of it in the morning," He decided, smiling his trademark smile. Shigure shook her head.

"No. You have to do it now," She responded, "When you leave the house, follow the trail up the mountain. You can't bring a light with you, and you have to go alone. Understand?"

"Yes, baa-chan," Takeshi groaned.

"Then get going," Shigure ordered. Takeshi fixed the empty sheath to his waist, thanked her for the meal, and left the house. When he was gone, Tsuyoshi turned to his mother.

"You just pulled that whole 'Excalibrite' thing out of your ass, didn't you?" He accused her. She smiled.

"I may have. Now then, we have to beat him to the top of the mountain."

"Can I just get some food first?"

"No."

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Ryohei…

Hanabi strapped the last of the weights to her son's body, and straightened out the scuba mask on his face.

"Ready?" She asked.

"EXTREMELY!" Her son shouted in response, trying and failing to lift his arms above his head. The weights were too heavy for him to lift, and that was saying something.

"THEN GET GOING!" Hanabi shouted, shoving him into the pool. He plummeted to the bottom.

Ryohei and Hanabi were at the Olympic sized swimming pool in the Vongola Complex, and both were wearing more than five hundred pounds of weights on their body, as well as scuba equipment. Hanabi checked to make sure hers were tightened properly (she could move with the weights much easier than her son could) and jumped into the water after him.

It would be hard for her to communicate with Ryohei once they were underwater, but he knew what the purpose of the weights and the pool was. Ryohei needed to learn how to use Eccedere Limite (He had agreed with his mother that it should be called Kyokuten Heki), and the strain on his body from the weights, together with Hanabi's attacks, would hopefully bring it out. Even if it didn't work, the weights would almost guarantee that Ryohei would become stronger.

When Ryohei activated the Kyokuten Heki and started moving underwater as he normally would on the ground, then the test would be over.

As Hanabi made her descent to the bottom, her eyes began to glow.

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Hibari…

As soon as Hibari had been released from the reinforced chains holding him down, his training began. There was only one thing on his mind: _Kill him_.

Hibari and Saigo had been fighting for almost a day now, and neither showed any signs of weakening. Their fight had led them out of the hospital and through the countryside into Rome, where they now fought on the flat roof of a building. Hibari was on the offensive, swinging his tonfa in anger at his father, who simply had his hands in his pockets, easily stepping past every attack his son made.

Hibari started to increase the speed of his attacks, moving so fast his arms were almost invisible. Still, Saigo continued to dodge. Hibari's attacks stopped abruptly, his father still in mid-dodge, wide open. With a swing of his right arm, Hibari's tonfa was aimed at Saigo's face. Finally, Saigo took one hand out of his pocket, using it to grab the swinging tonfa and throw his son to the side. Hibari skidded to a halt, and began to laugh softly.

"What's so funny?" Saigo asked, returning his hand to his pocket.

"You used your hand," Hibari answered. Saigo smirked.

"You got lucky. If I used both my hands, you wouldn't stand a ghost of a chance."

"We'll have to see about that, won't we?" Hibari said. His ring burst into violet fire, engulfing his entire body. Hibari took three boxes out of his pocket, and one by one slammed his ring into them. Three hedgehogs burst out of the boxes, and started to grow exponentially, forming giant globes of spikes on their backs.

"Get him, Roll," Hibari ordered, and the three hedgehogs started to roll towards Saigo at high speed.

"Is that all?" Saigo taunted, plucking three hairs from his scalp. The strands started to burn with a pure violet fire, and Saigo tossed them into the air in front of him. The hedgehogs continued to bear down on him, but Saigo did not make any attempt to avoid them. There was an explosion of dust as the hedgehogs neared him, and the box animals were knocked back, unconscious. They returned to their boxes. When the smoke cleared, Hibari saw that his father was not alone.

There were three copies of his father standing in front of then, with violet fire in their eyes and a purple tint to their entire bodies.

"Illusions?" Hibari murmured. The three copies of his father laughed along with the original.

"Hardly. They're flesh and blood copies made from my hair and the Nuvola propagation attribute. They're very, very real," Saigo answered. To prove it, the three clones launched forward, on the offensive now. Hibari fell back, trying to protect himself from the attack of the clones (A/N Get it?). He dispatched them one by one, and they dissolved into ash as soon as they were hit hard enough. After destroying the clones, Hibari smiled. They were nowhere near as strong as his father, but they looked like him enough for him to have fun bashing their heads in.

"So weak," Hibari scoffed, turning his attention back to his father. Saigo reached into his pocket, and pulled out a cigarette box.

"Those were clones made from only a spark of my fire. If I was to use all my fire, I could easily…" He pulled a strand of hair out of the box, long and black. The CEDEF ring on his finger burst into a pillar of violet flame, almost the size of a small house. Saigo waved the hair through the fire, and tossed it into the air as a human body began to form from the hair. The ring on his finger dissolved into dust.

"…Make a copy indistinguishable from the original," Saigo finished, returning the cigarette box filled with hair to his pocket. The body formed from the hair set down on the ground. It was a woman, with long, dark hair, a determined stare on her face, and a pair of tonfa. Hibari's eyes opened in shock. His tonfa fell from his hands as he stared at the woman.

"M-m-m-m-m…" He stammered, his voice beginning to lose its cold edge. The clone looked at him and smiled. She didn't have the same purple tint as the previous clones, but her eyes were tinted purple.

"_Mom_?"

Hibari Kyoya nearly broke into tears.

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Gokudera…

"Box, open," Cesare ordered as he slammed his red burning ring into the similarly colored box's one opening. In a burst of crimson flame, an enormous red tortoise with red fire for a tail stood in front of Cesare. He jumped up and landed on the turtle's back, sitting cross legged on its shell.

In the meantime, Gokudera's fingers danced over the boxes on his belt, until several large rings were floating in the air around him, one red ring was underneath his feet, and Flame Arrow was on his forearm.

Cesare and Gokudera were in a clearing in the middle of the woods not far outside of the Complex, well away from any human interruptions. If there were any other people nearby, there was a high chance that they'd get hurt.

"You ready?" Cesare asked, twirling his twin guns around. The turtle yawned.

"Bring it," Gokudera taunted, and he was off. The red ring under his feet zoomed along the ground, leaving a trail of burning grass in his wake. Cesare opened fire, his bullets being deflected by Gokudera's shields. Underneath Cesare, the turtle yawned again. Gokudera continued to evade and block, looking for any opening he could find to attack.

Cesare tossed his guns up into the air, and pulled out two more clips of ammo, which he loaded in the pistols when they returned to his hands, then continued to fire. The action took roughly a second. Gokudera grinned. He saw what he had to do; just wait until Cesare was reloading, and use that opportunity to attack. Meanwhile, the turtle, getting bored, tucked its body into its shell.

Cesare, his guns empty, tossed them into the air again. Gokudera saw his opportunity, and changed course, zooming up to Cesare, the Flame Arrow ready to fire. Gokudera's shields moved aside for him to fire. Gokudera aimed the Arrow point-blank at Cesare's face. Cesare grinned.

"Big mistake."

There was an enormous crimson blaze, and Gokudera blanked out. The last thing he heard his uncle say were three words:

"_Occhio del Ciclone_!"

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Chapter 13 End

Modificazione – Modification (that was obvious)

Occhio del Ciclone – Eye of the Storm

A/N I'm really sorry. I took so long to update, and when I do update, the chapter's not too long. Sorry. I do have an excuse, however. I just got back from a sleep away camp a few days ago, where I had no access to my laptop. I'll try to get the next chapter up very soon.

On another note, I didn't really like the most recent chapter. Tsuna just beat Byakuran by a landslide, but when Enma shows up with one _seventh_ of his power, he and the rest of the Guardians get their asses handed to them. The only part that I liked had something to do with Adelheid. I'll just… leave it at that.

Next chapter, I'll show the conclusions to the Guardians training, and show what's happening to Tsuna and Kyoko. Expect it soon!

Oh, who am I kidding.

REVIEW!


	16. Chapter 14

I can't think of anything to say.

Don't own KHR!

Chapter 14

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Lambo…

"Pay attention, vitello."

"Don Lambo doesn't wanna pay attention."

It had been about a week since their arrival, and Lambo had completely recovered from the surgery for the Modificazione. Now, he and Otavio were out in one of the fields behind the Bovino Manor for some training, which basically meant Otavio had dragged Lambo out against his will.

Otavio groaned, and reached into her pocket for her bargaining chip with her stubborn nipote. She pulled out a large lollipop, colored the same red, white, and green as the Italian flag, and waved it in front of Lambo's face. He brightened up instantly and tried to snatch at it, but Otavio pulled it out of his reach, which wasn't very difficult.

"You want this?"

"Don Lambo wants it! If you give it to Don Lambo, he'll make you his subordinate!"

"If I give it to you, will you pay attention?"

"Hmmm… Deal!" Lambo decided. Otavio handed him the lollipop, which he stuck in his mouth without even bothering to take off the wrapper.

"Now, pay attention," Otavio said, and pulled out two small green boxes. Her ring started to crackle with green lightning, and she slammed it into the two boxes, one at a time. In a burst of green energy, two sheep appeared next to her, lightning crackling in their wool.

"Bo, Peep, circle," Otavio ordered. The two sheep started to walk around her in a circle, rubbing their wool against her, small arcs of static appearing between them and Otavio. Otavio pulled out a pair of large, curved yellow horns, and placed them on the sides of her head, pointing them downward.

"Thunder Set Grand!" She called, and the two sheep began to circle even faster. Lightning started to arc between the tips of the horns, and Otavio's hair stood on end. She pointed her fist off in the distance, at a tree nearly a kilometer away.

"Shoot," She said, and an enormous blast of electricity erupted from her fist, creating an enormous crash of thunder and causing the tree Otavio had been pointing at to simply explode. The sheep stopped circling, and Otavio's hair lay flat.

"Electro Cannone," Otavio said, blowing away a wisp of smoke from her hand. Lambo was still sucking on the lollipop, looking unimpressed. He'd finally decided to take off the wrapper.

"Do you want to learn it, vitello?" Otavio asked her young nephew. Lambo shook his head.

"Don Lambo doesn't wanna."

"Let me rephrase that…" Otavio pulled out five lollipops like the one she had just given him, "If you can perform that technique by the end of the month, I'll let you have these."

Lambo's eyes lit up.

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Nagi…

Nagi and Speckles stood in the Nebbia Manor's large empty training room. Speckles was pacing in front of Nagi, who was paying full attention.

"There are several different types, or rather, uses, of illusion. There's Distraction," A loud clattering noise came from behind Nagi, causing her to turn around. There was nothing there.

"Disguise," Speckles continued. Nagi turned around to look at him, and saw that all that remained of Speckles were his eyes, hanging in midair, and a large grin underneath. They slowly faded.

"Construction," A disembodied voice said, and an enormous forest shot up from the ground around Nagi. She could hear birdsong coming from the trees, and saw their branches wave in a wind that wasn't there.

"Attack," Speckles said, and the forest burst into flame. Nagi could feel the heat of the fire, even though she knew it was just an illusion. The forest burnt to the ground in an instant.

"Confusion," Speckles' voice called out from everywhere at once. Nagi looked around the room to see there were seven Speckles surrounding her.

"And Augmentation," Speckles finished. The seven cats around Nagi vanished, and the real Speckles appeared in front of Nagi, suddenly growing into a large black panther with white spots. It growled at her, making Nagi take a step back. The panther shrank back to its true form as a regular cat, in the same position he had been in before the illusions started.

"From what I have heard about you, your specialty seems to lie in Disguise and Attack, and your opponent is a master of Disguise. Now then, show me an attack," Speckles ordered. Nagi nodded, and started to concentrate. A pillar of fire burst out of the ground beneath Speckles, enveloping him completely. When the fire faded away, Speckles was still sitting there, unharmed.

"No good at all. Come, girl, you have Mukuro's eye. Don't you know how to use it?" Speckles snapped. Nagi shrank back slightly.

"N-no, I don't…" She admitted, "Not that well, anyway."

"Okay, then that will be what we focus on. By the end of this month, you will be able to use at least the First Realm masterfully. Understand?"

"Y-yes!" Nagi acknowledged, smiling eagerly.

"Well then…" Speckles started, and everything began to fade away again.

"Let's begin."

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Yamamoto…

Takeshi leaned against a nearby tree for a moment to catch his breath. The hike so far had been steeper than he'd expected, and he now felt ready to curl up on the hard ground and fall asleep. He shook off those thoughts and kept walking. The shrine that his grandmother had told him about was in sight, sticking out like a sore thumb. It was in Japanese style as well, which Takeshi, for some reason, didn't find strange at all.

Takeshi slid open the door and looked inside. The room was lit by candlelight, and a stone well was in the center of the room, with two suits of masked Samurai armor flanking it in seiza position. Takeshi looked at the candles on the wall, and started looking around the room.

"Someone's here…" He whispered to himself. The candles were very new, and had barely even started melting yet. Someone had lit them recently, and they were probably still here. Still glancing around, he approached the well and pulled up a bucket full of water. He grunted under the surprising weight of the water, and slowly poured it into the empty sheath he had been given. Once it was full, he capped it with the hilt, and slowly made his way out of the shrine.

The two suits of samurai armor snapped their heads up and unsheathed the swords at their sides. Takeshi gulped. He was unarmed, tired, and about to go up against two mystery opponents in armor. This wasn't going to end well.

The two suits of armor streaked towards him, slashing horizontally at his neck, which Takeshi ducked underneath. The armor on his left flipped its hold on the sword and slashed down at him. Takeshi rolled backwards, avoiding it. The other armor lunged at him, making several slashes that he barely avoided. Takeshi blocked one of the attacks with the sheath, which, miraculously, was not harmed. He continued to retreat, keeping his back to the entrance. If he could make it into the forest, he could limit their ability to slash at him due to the dense trees. This plan vanished when the suit of armor that had first attacked him somehow got around him and was standing in the doorway. Takeshi, not seeing it, bumped into it.

"Shit!" He hissed, jumping away from it. The other suit of armor smacked him on the back of the head with its hand.

"Watch your mouth!" It commanded in a familiar voice. The armor clapped its hand over its mouth. Takeshi sweat-dropped.

"Don't tell me…" He muttered. The other suit of armor, standing in the doorway, started to grumble lowly, and put a hand over its stomach.

"Good going, moron," The other suit said.

"Mom, you broke character first! It's not my fault you barely fed me!"

"Bushido states that you must leave your children to feed themselves…"

"LIAR!"

The two suits of armor continued to argue, literally going toe to toe and shouting continuously. Takeshi, seeing an opportunity, slipped past them and ran back down the mountain, heading over the river and through the woods to his grandmother's house.

_

* * *

_

Later…

Takeshi finally arrived back at his grandmother's house, gasping for breath. The run back down the mountain had been a long one, and he had had several near misses with some trees. Still panting, he walked into the house, to find…

…His father and grandmother, having tea. Shigure regarded him with a calm complexion.

"Ah. You're back," She said.

"What was with the samurai armor back there?" Takeshi demanded. Tsuyoshi and Shigure looked at him like he'd hit his head on something.

"What samurai armor? There's no samurai armor at the shrine… Speaking of which, did you bring the water?" Shigure asked. Takeshi, who still had questions he wanted to ask, handed the sheath to her. She uncapped it and looked at the water inside.

"Good work. It's just what I need to make you a new sword," She said, placing it in front of her.

"Great. Now, why were you two up at the shrine?"

"Takeshi-kun, we've already told you, we weren't in that samurai armor…"

"When did I say anything about you being _in _the armor?" Takeshi asked. Shigure paused for a moment, thinking. After a minute had passed, she resorted to flicking something at her grandson. A second later, he collapsed, with a small needle sticking out of his neck.

"He'll be out for maybe twelve hours," Shigure guessed, returning to her tea. Her son stared at her, slightly scared.

_

* * *

_

Ryohei…

Ryohei sluggishly backpedaled, trying to avoid his mother's attacks. It was the third day they had been working in the pool, and so far, Ryohei wasn't showing any progress. Hanabi's attack came at him with the force of a truck, making him glad it had missed. Even underwater with weights tied to her, Hanabi could move as she did above water. Hanabi quickly followed up with a kick, giving Ryohei no time to escape.

For a fraction of a second, Ryohei's eyes flashed yellow, giving him enough time to move out of the way of the kick. Hanabi stopped attacking, and gave him a thumbs up.

Now, the _real_ training would begin.

_

* * *

_

Hibari…

"_Mom_?" Hibari said, almost not believing what was in front of him. The woman's gaze softened.

"Kyoya…" She whispered, a warm smile on her face. Hibari slumped to his knees in shock. A second later, his face was planted in the ground as the woman stood over him, her tonfa where his head had just been.

"You're wide open," She told him, her kind expression replaced with her former coldness. She turned to Saigo, ignoring the now unconscious Hibari.

"Saigo, this is how you raised the kid? As a _weakling_?" She asked him, making him flinch.

"Well, it's a long story…"

_

* * *

_

Flashback…

"_Have the others reported in yet?"_

"_Yes, sir. It appears that the Hawk of the Vongola hasn't shown up yet."_

"_He'll have to show up sooner or later," The leader of the hitmen said. The other ten members of the squad agreed. The small child they were holding captive blew a loud raspberry._

"_My daddy's gonna bite you to DEATH!" He taunted. The mafia hitmen turned towards the boy tied in the chair._

"_I thought you gagged the brat," The leader said to one of the lackeys._

"_I did! He must have gnawed through it again!"_

"_Well, retie it!"_

"_You're gonna die! You're gonna die! You're gonna…" The small black haired child chanted as a new gag was placed over his mouth._

"_I really hope that the Hawk shows up for the Sparrow. It will be _so _fun killing this damn kid," One of the hitmen remarked._

_At that moment, the door to the apartment they were using as a hideout burst out, and standing in the doorway was the man they had been waiting for: the legendary Hawk of the Vongola._

_The hitman nearest the radio grabbed at it, quickly bringing it up to his mouth._

"_He's here! He's here! The Hawk has landed!" He screamed. The next second, he and the rest of the hitmen were on the ground, dead or dying. The Hawk wiped his bloody hands off on the jacket of a dead hitman, and turned to face the young captive, who had once again gnawed through the gag and was now positively beaming. _

"_I told 'em you'd kill 'em," The child said simply. His father smiled, and started to untie the ropes holding him to the chair. _

"_You're not hurt, are you, Kyoya?" The Hawk asked._

"_Where's Mom?" The child asked, completely ignoring his father's question. The Hawk froze. _

"_Kyoya, I'm sorry. She…" He started, but there was a sudden burst of noise coming from the radio._

"_Say goodbye to your dear Sparrow, Hawk," A cruel voice taunted. There were several gunshots from the radio, and a woman's scream. A scream the father and son both recognized._

"…_No…" The small boy whispered, terrified. He looked at his father, whose face was just as blank as ever. There were no tears, despite the fact that he had just heard his wife die._

"…_Daddy, tell me that wasn't Mom… Please tell me she's safe…" The child begged, his blood running cold in his veins. His father was silent. _

"_Please tell me you could have saved her… _Please_…" The child continued, on the brink of tears._

"_I could have."_

"_THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU?" The child screeched, taking a step away from his father._

"_I saved you."_

"_I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" The child continued to scream, starting to hit at his father's legs with his tiny fists._

_Hibari Saigo continued to show no emotion._

_

* * *

_

End flashback…

Hibari's eyes opened and he quickly picked himself up, snatching for his tonfa and bringing them to a ready position.

"Took you long enough, Kyoya," The woman, Hibari Suzume, said to him. He looked at her with a cold glare.

"You're not my mother. You're just an illusion. And you…" He turned to Saigo, "…I swore it when she died. I _will _kill you with her tonfa," Hibari said, looking down at his weapons. Suzume took this moment to laugh.

"You intend to kill him like _that_? Kyoya, you've probably just been swinging those things around and hoping you hit something!" She said, looking at his stance. Hibari narrowed his eyes, and said five words:

"I'll bite you to death."

_

* * *

_

Gokudera…

"Fuckin'… OUCH."

"Now, then, Hayato, what have we learned?"

"…You suck…"

"Not exactly what I was going for, but okay."

"What the hell was that?"

"That… was the turtle," Cesare answered. He was sitting against a tree as his nephew lay in the field, newly conscious.

"Tell me, Hayato, what lies in the very center of a hurricane?" Cesare asked, leaning forward.

"Not in the mood right now," Gokudera grunted back. Cesare chuckled and took another puff of his cigarette.

"The answer is the eye of the storm. A place of complete calm, surrounded by the thickest, most dangerous parts of the hurricane. The one place where people will let their guards down and think the worst is over. That is what you did. You thought you saw an opportunity, but you were charging into the most dangerous part of the storm," Cesare explained.

"If I'd wanted to, I could have reloaded without having my guns leave my hands, but I went for the flashier method to make you think there was an opening. As soon as you came in and lowered your shields, _bam_! The turtle slams you with a three hundred and sixty degree wide blast of Tempesta flames. This technique is what I'm going to focus on teaching you."

"As soon as I can stand up again, you're _dead_."

"Good luck with that."

_

* * *

_

Kyoko…

"I can't believe you dragged me in there."

"I just ran for hours with you on my head. I think I deserve a break. Also, today is Kyoko Appreciation Day!" Kyoko responded, giggling as she took another bite of her cake. Kyoko had gotten a slice of cake at the cake shop Leon had led them to, which she was currently enjoying at a table outside a nearby café. The café was empty, except for them and two other patrons: an old woman and a young girl.

"Just be on your guard. Leon led us here for a reason," Lal reminded her. Leon scampered off her head and approached Kyoko's cake, and started to nibble at the edges. Kyoko giggled and cut off a piece for the small chameleon. At that moment, a black car pulled up in front of the café, and Leon looked up at it. Lal glanced at the three men climbing out, all of whom were wearing black suits and sunglasses. Lal noted by the way they were walking and the small bulge underneath their jackets, near their left armpits, that they were carrying concealed handguns. The three men were probably mafiosos, and they were heading straight for the old woman and the girl.

"Kyoko, get ready. Things are about to get nasty," Lal warned Kyoko. She looked up from her cake to watch the three men, pushing her chair away from the table in case she needed to get up at a moment's notice.

The old woman noticed them too late; the three men had surrounded her and the young girl. The old woman threw her arms protectively around the girl.

"Why, _hello_, Donna. Just when we thought we couldn't find you," The mafioso who was obviously in charge said with false friendliness. There was no mistaking the malice in his voice.

"Why won't you bastards just _leave me alone_?" The old woman hissed, glaring at him. The young girl shrank further into the old woman's arms.

"Now, why would we leave you alone? I _do _hope you haven't forgotten that you have yet to pay your weekly fee to the Pollo Famiglia. Of course, you also have several weeks of unpaid fees beside that. However, we _are _willing to make you a deal. All you have to do is hand over your daughter, and we'll give you a little bit more time for the money. Isn't that an offer you just _can't refuse_?" The man said, the threat evident in his friendly sounding voice. The other two mafiosos closed in on the old woman, who was holding on to the trembling girl with no intention of letting go. The larger of the two mafiosos pulled her away from the girl, while the other grabbed the small child roughly, throwing her over his shoulder as she screamed.

"NO! SOFIA! YOU MONSTERS! YOU MONSTERS!" The old woman screamed, trying to tear herself away from the man's grip.

A second later, the man holding the girl was met with a foot to the face, knocking him out cold. Kyoko caught the young girl before she could land on the hard ground, her eyes a burning yellow.

"What the-?" The leader screamed, reaching for the gun under his jacket. Before he could pull it out, however, he was cracked on the back of his head by the butt of Lal's shotgun.

"Don't move, or I'll shoot!" The last man threatened, pulling out his gun and pressing it to the old woman's head, using her as a human shield. Kyoko set the girl down on the ground, and vanished, reappearing above the man's head a second later, bringing her foot down like a hammer on his head. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he dropped to the ground. The old woman, now free from his grasps, darted forward and embraced her daughter, crying with joy.

"Not bad. They may have been imbeciles, and you may have had the element of surprise, but you handled the hostage situation quite well," Lal noted.

"Well, I didn't really _think_about doing any of that; it just happened, really," Kyoko admitted.

"That would probably be an effect of the Vongola Ring you carry; your battle instincts are being woken up because of it," Lal told her. The old woman turned around when Lal said the word 'Vongola'.

"V-Vongola? You're… Vongola?" The woman repeated, obviously not believing it. Her eyes darted down to Kyoko's hand, and saw the ring on her finger. In an instant, she was on her knees in front of Kyoko, planting rapid kisses on the ring, while Kyoko wondered if it would be considered rude to pull her hand back. She looked to Lal for guidance. The corrupted Arcobaleno shrugged.

_

* * *

_

Later…

"Here, Madonna Vongola. It's not much, but please have some," The old woman, Caterina, offered, holding out a cup of tea to Kyoko. Kyoko accepted the cup, blowing on it to try and cool it down.

After Caterina had finished kissing Kyoko's ring, she had invited them back to her home to both get some tea and to ask a favor of them. The small one-story house she and her daughter lived in was very beaten down, barely decorated, and in need of a new roof, but Kyoko found that the tea was quite good. Caterina offered a cup to Lal, who politely declined, before sitting down with them on the wooden chairs in front of the fireplace. Sofia sat down next to her.

"I'm so glad that the Vongola finally decided to intervene with the Pollo Famiglia. I've been writing letters begging for help, but those damn Pollo must be intercepting them," Caterina shrugged, taking a sip of her tea. Lal held up a hand to interrupt her.

"If I may, Donna Caterina. The Pollo Famiglia is a member of the Vongola Alleanza. If they were abusing their power in such a way that would shame the Vongola, the spies we have set up here would tell us about it. What I saw earlier today would be something that the spies would report, for instance," Lal said. Leon nodded from his perch on her head.

"I know that, but the Pollo have been either bribing or blackmailing the spies into silence. Now, they've been taking money from the locals for 'protection', and the people who don't or can't pay are… Well, you saw what nearly happened to me."

"Why would they do that?" Kyoko asked the old woman.

"Greed. Power. Some sort of sick satisfaction. Recently, they've been doing business with arms dealers. They've been planning something, and I'm scared to know what," Caterina admitted.

"That's horrible…" Kyoko said softly. This was the world she had chosen to join. She clenched her fists in anger, and shot up out of her seat.

"Kyoko, don't do anything – "

"Donna Caterina, I, Kyoko Sasagawa, the Vongola Decimo Madonna, give my word that the Pollo Famiglia will be stopped."

"… Stupid."

_

* * *

_

The next day…

"Stop running around so much and try to hit me!"

"Stop trying to kill me!"

"If I was really trying, you'd be _dead_ right now!" Lal told her, firing off another shot from her shotgun. Kyoko rolled out of the way of the cone of pellets, and kept running.

After Kyoko's proclamation to stop the Pollo Famiglia, Lal had decided that Kyoko was not yet ready to go up against a heavily armed manor. A training program was started to prepare Kyoko for fighting against an armed opponent without having the element of surprise. So far, however, Kyoko had spent most of the time evading.

As Lal reloaded her shotgun, Leon, on her head again, started shaking and making loud ringing noises.

"Time out!" She called, picking up the chameleon, which morphed into a cell phone shape. Kyoko slowed down, bending over to catch her breath, very glad of the sudden break.

"Lal here… Well, it's about time you woke up… Calm down, she's right here… Alright, here she is…" Lal held out the phone to Kyoko, "It's for you." Kyoko took the phone and placed it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"KYOKO-CHAN! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Tsuna's voice screamed, making Kyoko nearly drop the phone in surprise.

"Kyoko-chan? Kyoko-chan!" Tsuna's voice continued to shout hysterically.

"Tsuna-kun, I'm all right! Calm down!" Kyoko shouted back, which quieted Tsuna instantly.

"Kyoko-chan, you have to come back _now_. This isn't your battle."

"Is it your battle?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

"Is it the Famiglia's battle?"

"…Yes."

"Then it's _my_ battle too."

"It's _not_! I can find some way to keep you out of it, but I need you to come back!"

Lal, who had been listening in, rolled her eyes.

"If you listen closely, you can almost _hear_ the testosterone coming out of his ears," She whispered to Kyoko, who fought back a giggle.

"Kyoko-chan, _please_! I don't want to put you in anymore danger!"

"Tsuna, shut up for a second. We were attacked by a man who wants to take over the entire mafia underworld, and is fully willing to kill us to do it. The last time you went up against him, he nearly _did_. I held you as you nearly bledto death _once_, Tsuna. I'm not willing to let it happen again," Kyoko said adamantly.

"This is a Famiglia matter, Kyoko-chan. I don't want to involve anyone else."

"That's just the thing, Tsuna! I _am _in your Famiglia! _I'm _your Madonna! Do you know what the duty of the Madonna in the Famiglia is, Tsuna?" Kyoko asked him. Lal had told her the specific duty of the Madonna earlier, and she was willing to bet that Tsuna didn't know it. Sure enough, Tsuna was silent for a minute.

"'To be the one that holds the Sky together, the one who listens to it, fights alongside it, and loves it.' It's my duty now. I never asked for it, but I will do it to the best of my ability whether you want me to or not. Won't you just realize that?" Kyoko asked him. Tsuna was silent again, longer this time.

"…Alright. But I'm not going to let you get hurt, okay?" He said finally. Kyoko smiled.

"Neither will I," She replied. Lal tapped her on the shoulder to indicate that the call had gone on long enough.

"Sorry, but I've got to go now. I'll talk to you later, okay…" Kyoko paused for a second, wondering if she should call him 'that' or not, "Tsu-kun?"

There was a soft thump from the other side of the line, which Kyoko assumed was a flabbergasted Tsuna dropping the phone in sheer shock. Kyoko giggled and hung up.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Tsuna was frozen in place, his empty left hand still up to his ear as if the phone was there. The phone now lay silent next to him on the hospital bed where it had landed. Reborn waved his hand in front of Tsuna's vacant eyes. There was no reaction. Reborn waved the candid picture of Kyoko kissing an unconscious Tsuna in front of him, but Tsuna still didn't react.

"…Wow, he's really out of it this time," He remarked, tucking the photo away.

"Tsu-kun… She called me… Tsu-kun…" Tsuna said in a daze. Reborn looked over at Iemitsu and Nana, who were standing in the doorway, watching.

"I hope you know that your son has all the spine of an earthworm," Reborn told them. Nana nodded, smiling.

"If you think this is bad, you should have seen his father when we first met," She said simply. Iemitsu blushed.

"Never mind that now. Is the arm ready yet, Iemitsu?" Reborn asked, hopping down from the bed. Iemitsu, still blushing, nodded.

"It'll be ready to be fitted on once Tsuna regains his senses," He said.

"May take a while."

"True, true."

_

* * *

_

Later… Still in the hospital room…

"Close your eyes, Tsuna."

"They _are_ closed, Reborn."

"Well, close them tighter."

Tsuna groaned and scrunched his eyes shut even tighter than he'd had them before.

"Just hold still… Just a second, and… There. It's done, Ser Vongola," Innocenti announced from Tsuna's side. Tsuna slowly opened up his eyes to take a look at his new arm. When he saw it, his jaw dropped.

"What the…?" He murmured, moving it around experimentally. It both looked, and felt, like his old arm. He pinched it and felt that it was real skin, and he felt the pain from his pinch instantaneously.

"It's one of my best pieces of _hand_iwork, Ser Vongola," Innocenti announced, grinning smugly at his own joke. Shoichi and Spanner groaned simultaneously.

"It looks just like my old arm," Tsuna remarked.

"That's because it is. All I had to do was insert some synthetic muscles and electronic nerves, a few extra features that I'll tell you about later, and voila! One new arm, served up hot!" Innocenti said.

"Does this mean I'll still be able to use the X-Gloves?" Tsuna asked. Reborn shook his head.

"No, the gloves were melted down for components for the extra features on your arm, as well as most of the Death Wish Flame-proof clothes Leon made for you. Don't worry, though. It'll be worth it," Reborn promised, a glint in his eye.

"Speaking of which, where _is_ Leon?"

"He's with Lal and Kyoko. Don't ask why; you'll find out later," Reborn said. Iemitsu stepped forward.

"Once you're all rested up, I'll start helping you practice with learning about that new arm of yours, okay?" He said. Tsuna looked at him, confused.

"What are these new features, anyway?" He finally asked. Innocenti looked about ready to pop from the excitement.

"Just activate your Death Wish, Ser Vongola," He said.

"Ah, the charm…"

"It's built into your arm now, Ser Vongola."

"Okay… Here goes…" Tsuna said, concentrating. In a flash, his eyes turned orange and a familiar flame appeared on his forehead. The arm started to whirr and change shape. After a moment, it was completely different.

"Woah…"

"It cost half as much as the Mansion to make, Tsuna. Don't break it."

"Dad, when'll we start practicing with this?"

"Soon. Now, just get some rest."

_

* * *

_

One week later… Pollo Manor…

Lal and Kyoko stood in front of the Pollo Manor, a large house settled into the base of a mountain. Kyoko had several light cuts and bruises, but it was nothing too serious. Leon, who was being held by Lal, was in the shape of a green ball with eyes and a smile.

"Are you sure I'm ready, Lal?" Kyoko asked. Already, some guards had assembled in front of the manor, all of them armed and looking at her warily. Lal nodded.

"Leon lost his tail, which is a sign that you, the person he's currently linked to, is ready to take on their challenge," Lal told her.

"Did Tsu-kun have to do this, too?"

"Yeah. From what I've heard, he had to beat the crap out of his former Nebbia Guardian."

"That Godo guy?"

"Rokudo. You're off by one number."

"Oh well," Kyoko shrugged.

Up on a balcony overseeing the front of the Manor, an old man in a wheelchair and a boy in his late teens stepped (and rolled) out. The old man looked at Kyoko appraisingly.

"Dmitri, do you know that girl?" He asked his son. Dmitri, his son, nodded, smiling evilly.

"Yes, Father. That's the Vongola Decimo's woman, I believe," He said, "Capturing her will give us an enormous bargaining chip with them." His father, the Pollo Nono, grinned crookedly.

"Very good. Give the order to capture her, then. I have to go take my medicine, so by the time I get back, she'd better be tied up and unconscious," He said, wheeling himself around and returning to the house.

_

* * *

_

Not five minutes later…

The Pollo Nono rolled back out onto the balcony, his medicine taken. Dmitri was standing there, completely quiet.

"Is the girl captured yet?" He asked, rolling up to see how his men had fared. What he saw nearly gave him a heart attack.

The roughly two dozen men that had been sent to apprehend the girl were all unconscious, in an enormous pile that Kyoko sat on casually, her legs crossed.

"I want to speak with the boss," She called out calmly. Father and son very nearly wet themselves.

"Dmitri?"

"Y-yes, Father?"

"S-send in Achille."

"Y-yes, Father," Dmitri said, before pulling out his cell phone and speaking rapidly into it. A minute later, an enormous man, maybe seven feet tall with a gigantic hammer resting on his shoulder, stepped out onto the balcony.

"You wanted to speak with me?" He said flatly in a gruff voice. The Pollo Nono nodded.

"You see that girl, Achille? I want you to rough her up a bit, but don't kill her. Understand?"

Achille broke out into an enormous grin. "Si, Don Pollo," Was all he said before jumping off the balcony and landing on the ground so hard he made a shallow crater.

"Be careful, Kyoko. This guy looks stronger than those last guys," Lal warned.

"Any chance Leon could spit out whatever he's holding anytime soon?" Kyoko asked, eying the enormous man warily. Lal shook her head.

"He'll let you have whatever it is when he feels like it. In the meantime, go get him," Lal said. Kyoko nodded and jumped down from the pile of unconscious hitmen. She and Achille both walked towards the other, not saying a word till they met in the center.

"You took out all those guys?" Achille asked her. Kyoko nodded slowly. The big man started to laugh, a loud, grating noise like nails in a blender.

"Not bad. Unfortunately, I'm in a whole 'nother world than those mooks," He said, grasping his enormous hammer with both hands. Then, moving with a speed that Kyoko didn't think a man of his size could reach, he slammed Kyoko in the side, knocking the breath out of her lungs, probably breaking a rib or two, and sending her flying through the air. She landed on the ground in an explosion of dust.

"KYOKO! GET UP!" Lal screamed. Kyoko, still trying to catch her breath, couldn't get up in time. Achille picked up her body in one hand easily, and threw her at the Manor. When she hit the wall, she blacked out for a moment. Achille was standing in front of her again, his hammer over his head, ready to bring it down on her mercilessly. Kyoko's eyes turned yellow, and she was able to get out of the way just in time. She felt her cracked ribs starting to mend due to the Serena Flame's Attivazione attribute. The mending was slow, however, and Kyoko clutched her side in pain.

"OI, ACHILLE! STOP TRYING TO DESTROY THE MANOR, YOU IDIOT!" Dmitri called from up on the balcony. Achille casually raised his middle finger. Dmitri started literally steaming; nobody disrespected him like that!

"Father, why do we keep that _moron _around?" He screamed at his father.

"Dmitri, do me a favor and shut up. The reason we keep Achille around is because he is the strongest fighter in our Famiglia, and I don't want to lose the advantage he gives us," The Nono said. It was hard to hear the fear in his voice; he was afraid of his own subordinate.

"Are you okay, Kyoko?" Lal asked when Kyoko appeared at her side. A panting Kyoko shook her head.

"This guy's… a monster… Why doesn't Leon… just cough it up already?" She said in between gasps.

"Leon will give it to you when he thinks you're ready both mentally and physically. You're probably ready physically, so I just have one thing to ask you: Why do you want to fight?" Lal asked her. Kyoko was silent. A heartbeat later, Achille appeared behind them, and punched Kyoko with such force that Lal felt the wind displaced from it. Kyoko was sent flying again.

She landed on her feet and quickly activated Eccedere Limite, allowing her to dodge another lethal hammer strike.

_Why am I fighting?_

Kyoko aimed a flying kick at Achille's head, but all that happened was Achille stumbling a bit.

_Is it for the people the Pollo are terrorizing?_

Achille grabbed her leg and flung her, again, at the Manor, much to Dmitri's distaste.

_No; is it for my family?_

An image of Ryohei, her mother and father flashed through her mind.

_No, they can fight for themselves; is it for…_

An image of a kind hearted brunette boy flashed through her mind. Kyoko dodged another hammer swing, which crashed into the wall of the building.

_Tsuna? Am I fighting for Tsuna?_

"Stop running around, little girl!" Achille bellowed, bringing his hammer around again.

_Because he's always protected me?_

…_No._

_Because he's so honest with himself and his friends?_

…_No._

_Why?_

_Why do I care for Tsuna so much?_

_Is it because I…_

"I…" Kyoko said to herself. Achille came up from behind her, his hammer poised for one final blow. Kyoko didn't notice him.

"Love…" She continued, as the hammer began to fall.

_I guess I do. Isn't that funny?_

"TSUNA!" She screamed, whirling around and connecting her leg with the hammer. Her eyes were no longer yellow; they'd become a beautiful gold, shining fiercely. A web of cracks formed on the face of the hammer, shattering it into millions of pieces. In Lal's hands, Leon began to glow a myriad of colors. As Leon turned back into his regular shape, he split into two pieces, one of them forming his body and the other forming something else, something larger. Before they had the chance to finalize their form, Lal grabbed them.

"Kyoko! Heads up!" She shouted, tossing the item through the air. Their shape was finalized mid-toss, and what Kyoko caught was…

A pair of black knee-high boots, with details made out of metal. The metal formed an X on the tip of the boots, much like Tsuna's former X-Gloves. Also included was a pair of plain silver metal bracelets. Kyoko looked at the new items, not knowing what to do.

"PUT THEM ON, YOU AIRHEAD!" Lal finally screamed. Achille still hadn't recovered from his hammer having been broken, and just stood there in a daze.

"Okay, okay…" Kyoko sighed, slipping her feet into the boots, marveling at how well they fit. Like they had been made for her… Oh, right.

"Now what?" She asked once the boots and bracelets were completely on.

"…You… Broke… My… HAMMER!" Achille screamed, finally recovering from the mental shock. He dropped the headless handle and swung his fists at Kyoko in a blind rage. Kyoko's eyes burned gold, and she moved out of the way of every punch that was thrown.

"See, Dmitri, this is why I keep Achille around. He's what would be called a 'berserker'; the angrier he gets, the more powerful his attacks become," The Nono said as he and Dmitri watched the horrific onslaught.

Kyoko jumped off the ground to avoid another punch, but Achille threw another punch at her while she was in midair. Without thinking, Kyoko kicked against the air, and started to fly out of control, but more importantly, out of the way of danger.

Kyoko screamed shrilly as she rocketed through the air, still not sure what had just happened. She put out her arms to try and stop herself, and saw the yellow fire the bracelets were emitting, aimed down at the ground. She willed herself to slow down, to stop, and the fire weakened slightly, bringing her to a halt, floating in midair. She looked down at her feet, and saw that the boots had the same yellow fire on the heels.

Kyoko laughed, and willed the flames to be stronger. She shot upwards instantly, but by moving her legs, she found she could direct the direction she was flying in. She angled herself back at Achille, who was continuing to attack where Kyoko had been in a blind rage, screaming nonsensically. She flipped herself around in mid air, allowing the flame from the bracelets to propel her as she flew forward feet first.

"EAT THIS!" She screamed as her feet connected with Achille's skull. The attacks slowed down as the giant's eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed to the ground with a very loud thud.

In the resulting silence, you could have heard a pin drop.

Kyoko, hovering above Achille's body, turned to face the Pollo Nono and Dmitri, both of whom were frozen in fear. She blurred in the air, and reappeared directly in front of them, anger etched onto her face.

The Pollo Nono fell out of his wheel chair and started dragging himself away. Kyoko hammer-kicked the ground in front of his face, freezing him in place.

"Are you the Pollo boss?" She asked him with a look that could shoot daggers. The Pollo Nono didn't answer; he had fainted, with a puddle forming on the ground beneath him. Kyoko looked at his son, Dmitri, who was cowering in a corner. Her face showed recognition when she saw his face.

"…Oh. It's you," She said. This was the very same guy who had led the group that Tsuna had rescued her from so long ago. Kyoko took an imposing step forward.

"I have been waiting for so long to do this…" She said as Dmitri's eyes started to tear up in fear.

"P-p-p-please, have mercy…" He begged, more scared than he had ever been in his whole life. Kyoko answered with one word.

"No," She said, and swept her leg at him in a lightning quick roundhouse kick, stopping less than an inch from his face.

Dmitri Pollo joined his father in both unconsciousness and the Wet Pants Club.

Kyoko flew back to Lal's side as the child was taking the Leon-phone from her ear.

"I've contacted the Vongola. They'll be here soon to take the Pollos into custody. Are you ready to head back?" Lal asked her. Kyoko nodded, allowing Lal to hop onto her head. With a thought, she took off, streaking back to the Vongola Mansion; back to Tsuna.

_

* * *

_

Later…

Tsuna brought up his arm to block another strike from Iemitsu's golden shovel. The shovel and the blade protruding from Tsuna's black and silver right arm locked for a second, before the two jumped apart, returning to opposite sides of the training room. Iemitsu stabbed his shovel into the ground.

"Pietra!" He called as an orange pulse spread from his shovel.

"Modo Difesa Minore!" Tsuna called. The blade that had taken the place of his hand during Modo Attaco Minore retreated into his arm, as a large shield folded out on his forearm. Tsuna turned around, using the shield to block a large rock spike that shot out of the ground behind him. While Tsuna was distracted, Iemitsu lunged at him, his shovel poised to attack. Tsuna turned around again, pointing his arm at Iemitsu with his left arm holding onto it for stabilization.

"Modo Balistico Minore!" He said, as the shield on his arm disappeared, a panel slightly raising where it had been, showing three small gun barrels. Tsuna opened fire, shooting out bullets of compressed Cielo flames.

"Woah! Scogliera!" Iemitsu shouted at the last second, causing a wall of stone to jut out of the ground, blocking the bullets.

"I think we should call it a day for now, Tsuna!" He suggested from behind the wall. Tsuna ceased firing, a smirk on his face.

"Alright," He said, extinguishing the flame on his forehead. His arm, which had been the same black with silver metal as his X-Gloves had been, returned to being regular flesh and blood. Iemitsu lowered the wall.

"I think you're really starting to get the hang of it, son," He said proudly. Tsuna rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"It's…" He stopped. There was a small twinge at the back of his head, where the neck meets the skull, that had stopped all thought for a second.

"Tsuna? You o-" Iemitsu started, but was cut short when Tsuna reactivated his flame, shooting flame out of his new shoes and soaring off, creating a new hole in the wall as he did so. Iemitsu watched his son go through the new window.

"Well, I always thought this room needed some more sunlight," He said, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Reborn, who had been standing on the sidelines, smiled.

"Phase one is done. It's time to start phase two, Iemitsu," He said, watching his former pupil streak off.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile…

Kyoko and Lal flew to the Vongola Mansion at breakneck speeds, Kyoko's X-Boots (as they had been dubbed) giving her propulsion as the bracelets (the X-Bracelets) balanced her out. Lal's glasses zoomed in on a distant object heading towards them, and she smirked.

"Alright, Kyoko, this is where I get off," She said, before jumping off, using Leon as a green, smiling parachute. She figured it would be good for those two to have some alone time. Kyoko didn't notice Lal leave; a few moments prior, she had felt a strange twinge to the back of her neck, as if something was calling out to her. Then she saw him, shooting straight at her.

Tsuna.

She felt her heart start thumping in her chest. Without her realizing it, the strength of her flames started increasing, growing more the closer she came to him. The extra strength made her start accelerating, and it seemed that the same thing was happening to Tsuna. Soon, they were within earshot of one another.

"Kyo-" Tsuna started to call out, but was stopped when his mouth became occupied with… other things.

When he and Kyoko collided, she had purposely claimed his lips, shocking him so much that his flames completely stopped. Kyoko's flames ceased as well, sending the pair into freefall directly downward.

When his initial shock wore off, Tsuna calmed down as much as was possible in the current situation, and started to return the kiss. Yes, it was unexpected, but Tsuna seriously wasn't going to complain. The kiss seemed like it was never going to stop, even when they splashed down into the lake that had been conveniently below them. They only stopped when their lungs started screaming for air, causing them to break the surface. Both paused for a gasp of air, and just floated, breathing, for a moment, held in each other's arms, completely silent.

"Kyoko-chan… I…" Tsuna said, finally mustering up the courage to say those words that had evaded him for so long. Kyoko placed a finger on his lips.

"I know," She said, and restarted the kiss from before.

Neither of them noticed the fisherman who was sitting at the water's edge, jaw dropped. He would have one HELL of a story to tell his buddies; of course, even he found it hard to believe that he had just seen the Vongola Decimo and some girl suddenly fall into the lake and start making out.

_

* * *

_

Later… Back in the training room…

"Okay, look, I realize you haven't seen each other in a while, and you have just started realizing your feelings for each other, but…" Iemitsu sighed, knowing that his son and his new girlfriend weren't listening to him in the slightest, "Will you _please_ listen to what I'm telling you!" He finally shouted, praying that he would get their attention.

It didn't work. Tsuna and Kyoko were still in the midst of an impromptu make-out session.

"Reborn, if you would," Iemitsu conceded hoping that he would have better luck. Reborn cleared his throat.

"Tsuna."

"Hai!" Tsuna, at one word from Reborn, broke the kiss and faced his former tutor, out of reflex, fear, or both.

"Thank you, Reborn. Now that I have your attention… And if you start up _again_, you will regret it… It's time to start phase two of your training," Iemitsu announced. Reborn produced a stereo out of nowhere, which classical music started blaring out of.

"…Either of you know how to waltz?" Iemitsu asked with a grin.

Tsuna and Kyoko gulped.

_

* * *

_

Meanwhile… Namimori... The Miura household…

"Junk… Junk… Junk… Bill… Junk… Letter to Haru… Junk… Oh, whoops," Haru's father said to himself. He set the rest of the mail aside and fished the letter to Haru he had accidentally thrown away out of the trash can. After looking at it for a second, he called out to Haru.

"Haru! You've got mail from that Hayato boy!" He shouted upstairs.

"Thank you, desu!" Haru said in English, suddenly appearing next to him, snatching the letter out of her father's hand and dashing upstairs. He blinked twice.

"How did she move that fast?" He wondered before returning to looking through the mail.

Haru slammed and locked her bedroom door behind her, throwing herself on her bed, giggling and clutching the letter to her chest. She ripped open the expensive looking envelope and tore the letter out.

_My dearest Haru,_

_I have something I must confess to you, my dove. Contrary to what I have been telling you, everything is not well here in Italy. Our Famiglia is being forced into battle with another Famiglia, the Dragone, and I fear that we will not be able to defeat them. There is only one thing that can give me the confidence to be able to defeat the Dragone, led by the pure tactical genius of their boss' right hand man, the devilishly handsome and brilliant Ilario Vespiano: If I was able to see your shining, beautiful face as I fought against them. Enclosed are first class tickets to Italy in a month's time, which I hope you will use._

_I eagerly await your arrival._

_Yours truly, with love eternal,_

_Hayato Gokudera._

_P.S. Did I mention how smart Ilario was?_

By the time she finished reading the letter, Haru was very nearly weeping tears of joy.

"G-G-Goku-chaaan, I didn't know you could be such a _romantic_, desu!" She cried.

* * *

Chapter 14 End

Translations:

Modo Difesa Minore: Minor Defense Mode

Modo Attaco Minore: Minor Attack Mode

Modo Balistico Minore: Minor Ballistic Mode

Pietra: Stone

Scogliera: Cliff

Pollo: Chicken

A/N I can't tell you how long I've been thinking about this chapter. I'm so proud of it.

I'm very sorry it took me so long to update, but I have compiled a list of things you can blame instead of me.

The Anti-Cliché and Mary Sue Elimination Society – For being awesome and making me want to write a story for them.

The Order of the Stick – For being completely awesome.

My current semester away – For having taken me on a two week long backpacking trip.

To make up for it, however, I will let you know that next chapter, the _real_ action begins.

Huh. I have the feeling I've said that before…

Well, this time, I mean it. Next chapter the battles will start, and there will be epic.

On that note, I must admit that I'm in a wee bit of a pickle.

I have no idea what to make Nagi's box weapon, since the owl was from the future arc and that never happened. So, in your review, please make a suggestion as to what you think it should be. Please note that it can't be something that has already appeared in the anime/manga.

Speaking of the manga, did any other 27K fans squeal during the part when Kyoko said she got a warm feeling? Cause I did.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I will do my best to get the next one up as soon as I can. No guarantees as to when that'll be, though.

Review!


	17. Chapter 15, Fin

Here it is.

The final chapter. The one we've all been waiting for. Please realize that this is going to be long, action packed, and most likely have a suitable dosage of epicness. My full excuse as to why it took me so long is at the bottom, after all the awesome fighting that I slaved over.

No, I don't own KHR. Thank God…

Chapter 15

* * *

Tsuna stood his ground as he stared into the reptilian eyes of his opponent, a man who he had thought was his friend. At his sides stood his Guardians. Kyoko, directly at his left, staring at the masked and cloaked Madonna of the Dragone, Gokudera, with his hair cut short and a cigarette hanging from his mouth, glaring with disdain at Lilia Fiametta. Takeshi, with a new sword at his side and a small scar on his chin, was staring at Edmund Fitzgerald, his trademark grin never leaving his face. Lambo, who had shot up by about a foot and now only had a thin afro of black hair on his head, had his finger up his nose while he looked at Ilario in a bored fashion. Nagi, with one red eye, was looking straight at Valeria. Valeria's gaze, however, was fixed a little bit lower. Hibari, who looked scarier than ever, was in a glaring contest with Selvaggia. Ryohei, who had put on slightly more muscle in his arms, was staring at Paco Rodriguez, who had once fought him to a standstill, and later defeated him.

"I'm impressed, Vongola. You actually didn't die from blood loss," Gio laughed, looking at Tsuna's arm.

"Guardians, shake hands," The Cervello judge of the battles ordered. Gio put his right hand out, a smirk on his face. Tsuna grasped his hand firmly, but as their hands touched there was

_help me please help me for the love of God help me_

a spark from the rings. Tsuna pulled his hand back in shock. There had been a _voice _in his head. None of the others showed any signs of having heard it. Hibari, however, had refused to shake hands.

"Please return to your seats until the matches are called," The Cervello continued. Both sides turned around and walked away. Tsuna looked back at Gio, still certain that he had heard a voice.

"Tsuna, what's wrong?" Kyoko asked him. Tsuna shook his head.

"Nothing. Just my imagination," He lied.

The day had finally come for the showdown between the Vongola and the Dragone, and the Accademia's arena was packed. Vendors hawked their wares, bookies shouted out the odds for the fights (none of which were in the Vongola's favor) and the in the box seats above were some of the most prominent people in Italy. The Varia, the Arcobaleno (in a significantly smaller box than the others), CEDEF, the bosses of almost every Famiglia in Italy, and some politicians, were there. The audience was mostly made up of the less important Famiglias and students of the Accademia.

The two largest boxes were the ones that the Vongola and the Dragone Guardians were seated in. Well, technically Hibari was on top of the box, but you get the idea.

_

* * *

The Arcobaleno…_

"Yo, kora!" The Pioggia Arcobaleno, Colonello, greeted his peers as he entered the box. Lal Mirch turned around in her seat to glare at him.

"You're late, Colonello."

"Aw, come on. The fights haven't even started, yet, ko-" In a second, Colonello was flat on his face, with Lal bending his arms in a painful looking position. He yelped.

"Colonello, haven't I told you NOT TO BE LATE?" Lal shouted at her former student.

"Yes! Yes! Uncle! Uncle!" Colonello screamed. Skull, the Nuvola Arcobaleno, started laughing.

"That's right! Show him who's boss, Lal-senpai!" He crowed in his ridiculously high pitched voice.

"Silence, simpleton. People are trying to work here, you know," Verde, the Fulmine Arcobaleno, scolded, not looking up from his notepad. Skull shut up rather quickly.

_

* * *

Varia…_

"VOOOOOOIIIIIIIII! WHEN THE HELL ARE THE FIGHTS GONNA START?" Superbia Squalo, the Varia's resident swordsman, screamed.

"Oi, trash. Shut the hell up," Xanxus, the former candidate for Vongola Decimo, ordered. Squalo shut up quickly.

"Mammon, odds," Xanxus ordered Varia's expert gambler, Nebbia Guardian, and Arcobaleno. Mammon, also known as Viper, took a piece of paper out of the folds of his robes.

"Vongola doesn't have very good odds, boss. Lambo Bovino, one hundred to one. Takeshi Yamamoto, twenty to one. Nagi Akiyama, thirty to one. Ryohei Sasagawa, fifteen to one. Hibari Kyoya, ten to one. Hayato Gokudera, fifteen to one. Tsunayoshi Sawada and Kyoko Sasagawa… oh."

"_What_."

"S-sixty to one, boss."

The Varia box was impressively silent after that.

_

* * *

CEDEF…_

Why had she come here? Seriously, _why_ had she agreed to come here? She was sitting here in box seats with some of the most dangerous people in Italy, an old woman who kept on arguing with a sushi chef slash assassin, and a cat, about to watch her son and his friends fight for their lives.

"Is something wrong, Nana-dono?" The cat asked from her lap. Oh, right, had she mentioned it was a _talking_ cat that her husband said was probably the closest thing the planet had to a god? Nana ran her hand down the cat's back, eliciting a deep purr.

"Oh, _that's _the ticket…" The cat moaned.

Meanwhile, Otavio was trying to get Cesare to agree to something, and it looked like he was having an intense internal battle.

"Well? Do we have a bet?" She asked him.

"…Deal," Cesare finally spat out. Otavio grinned. She could almost hear the church bells.

_

* * *

First Battle… Fulmine…_

_Ilario Vespiano, Dragone, versus Lambo Bovino, Vongola…_

The rules for the fights were simple. First to knock out the opponent or render them incapable of further combat would be the winner. Matches could be forfeited. The battlefield had no extra environmental hazards, but hazards could be added if agreed upon by both fighters. First Famiglia to four points was the victor, and each battle was worth one point. The Madonnas fought with their counterparts.

"Do either combatants have any requests?" The Cervello asked the two Fulmine Guardians. Both shook their heads.

"Then, battle, START!" The Cervello announced before retreating to a safe distance. At specific locations around the ring, other Cervello set up a triple layer flame barrier to protect the audience made of Pioggia, Tempesta, and Fulmine flames in that order, while illusionists made the barrier invisible.

"Don Lambo's gonna SMOKE you!" The child Guardian gloated, summoning Gyuudon. A pulsing vein appeared on Ilario's forehead.

"Brat… you're barely even worth my time," He snarled, activating his box and summoning an emerald green tank around himself.

"I'll give you the first attack, brat. It'll be your only chance to try and hit me," Ilario gloated over a loudspeaker.

"Big mistake," Otavio said from the CEDEF box, smirking.

"Gyuudon, puff up!" Lambo ordered the bison behind him. In an act that most bison aren't cool enough to accomplish, Gyuudon shoved biology down the toilet as it clenched its eyes shut, and took a deep breath. Of course, that wasn't what went against its biology. What went against its biology was that it turned into a giant ball of fur with legs in a heartbeat.

"What…" from Tsuna in the Vongola box as Gyuudon started to rub against Lambo.

"The…" from Cesare as sparks shot between the child and the fur ball that was supposed to be a bison.

"FUUUU…" from Ilario as Lambo fired his ultimate technique, the Lambo Cannontm. The lightning that was loosed from Lambo's horns pierced through the reinforced armor of Ilario's tank, subjecting its driver to several million volts of power. When the smoke cleared, Ilario had smoke pouring out of his mouth and his eyes had rolled back into his head. While the Cervello inspected Ilario to see if he was still capable of fighting (breaking news: he wasn't), the stadium was completely silent, save for the sobbing of Otavio's bookie.

Otavio slipped a piece of paper into the hand of her stunned lover… no, fiancée now.

"You know… I've always wanted a spring wedding," She suggested. Lambo had won the fight, so she had won the bet. The deal was that if she won, Cesare would finally propose to her, and the wedding would be funded by Otavio's winnings from the fight, and if she lost, then…

Oh, you don't wanna know. Trust me, it's… it's weird.

"Vongola is the victor!" The Cervello finally announced as Ilario was carried away on a gurney.

The crowd burst into applause.

_Victor: Vongola_

_Score: 1-0, Vongola_

* * *

If there is one thing that the Bovino Famiglia is obsessed with, it is finding ways to harness and control lightning. To these ends, the Bovino Secondo, a brilliant scientist who inspired Nikola Tesla, designed an endoskeleton that could be attached to the human skeletal system to allow them to channel electricity that was amplified by the horns they wore on their heads.

The Modificazione.

_

* * *

Second battle… Serena…_

_Paco Rodriguez, Dragone, versus Ryohei Sasagawa, Vongola…_

Both boxers squared off, eyes locked. It was time for the second battle.

"Do either combatants have any requests?" The Cervello asked. Both nodded.

"Boxing ring," They answered simultaneously.

"Both combatants agree. The second battle shall take place on a boxing ring," The Cervello announced to the audience. The crowd roared in approval.

In minutes, there was a boxing ring in the center of the stadium. The Cervello had changed into a referee's shirt and had a whistle around her neck. She stepped into the middle of the ring holding a microphone.

"IIIIIIIIIINNN this corner! Weighing in at fifty nine kilograms of EXTREME muscle, fighting for the Vongola, Namimori's Rumblefish, Ryohei SASAGAWA!" The judge screamed into the mic. Ryohei threw off his shirt, which Garyuu, his box animal, caught. Ryohei tightened his boxing gloves, then started to shadow box.

"AAAAAAANNND in this corner! Weighing in at sixty two kilograms, fighting for the Dragone, he's Madrid's Betafish, Paco RODRIGUEZ!" The judge continued. Paco whipped off the towel around his shoulders and threw it at his box animal, a parrot. The parrot, unfortunately, could not catch the towel and ended up getting trapped underneath. It started swearing in Spanish until it finally got free.

"Gentlemen, you know the rules! First to knock out the opponent or render him incapable of combat is the winner! Battle START! Round one!" The Cervello announced before leaving the ring. The two boxers charged at each other, their hands guarding their faces, and the battle began.

_

* * *

Later_…

The two were a fairly even match. For every blow that Ryohei dealt to Paco, Paco was able to deal an equal blow to Ryohei. The battle had been going on for about eight rounds now, and in the long run, it appeared that Paco was the less beat up of the two of them.

The bell rang again, signaling the end of the round. Ryohei reeled back to his corner, sitting down on the stool that Garyuu had placed there. The kangaroo hopped up into the ring and started to grunt some advice that would be more helpful if Ryohei could speak kangaroo. In the opposite corner, Paco's parrot had its wings spread out over its master and was babbling in Spanish. As the parrot was holding its wings up, a yellow dust fell down over Paco, slowly healing his injuries.

"Dammit… that parrot… is giving him the advantage… Garyuu, why can't… you do… something like that?" Ryohei asked in between gasps. Garyuu bowed its head in shame.

"Round nine!" The judge called out.

With a shout, Ryohei ran back into the center of the ring. Garyuu jammed its hands into its pouch in dejection.

The kangaroo's eyes widened. It started to fish around in the pouch, certain that it had felt something in there.

When it pulled out a pair of white gloves with the Serena crest on the back, Garyuu knew its master would be pleased.

_

* * *

Later…_

Ryohei's fist met Paco's face for the last time. The punch boosted by Serena flames knocked the Dragone out cold. The judge stepped forward to check the fallen boxer, and a few seconds later, held up Ryohei's arm.

"Vongola is the winner!" She shouted. Ryohei beamed.

_Victor: Vongola_

_Score: 2-0, Vongola_

_

* * *

Arcobaleno Box…_

"Ni-hao, everyone," Fong greeted as he walked into the box, the very picture of calmness.

"Ciaossu, Fong," Reborn replied, using his unmasked voice. Fong raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"It's been almost sixty years since I've heard you talk like that, Xavier," He admitted. Reborn nodded.

"Hopefully, I'll never have to mask it again after tonight," He said.

"Wait, I get here a few minutes late, and you nearly break my arm. He gets here after missing _two battles_, and you don't do anything? Kora!" Colonello shouted at Lal Mirch. A second later, he was plastered to the wall.

"Fong-shifu, I can't fit…" A young voice moaned from outside the box.

"Is that… I-Pin?" Reborn asked.

"Why don't you go to the Vongola box, I-Pin? I'm sure Lambo will be happy to see you," Fong suggested.

"Yes, Fong-shifu!" I-Pin, still unseen, replied. A second later, she was gone.

_

* * *

Vongola Box_…

"LAMBO!" was the only greeting besides the flying kick that he received.

I-Pin had changed quite a bit. She now matched Lambo for height, and her old topknot was gone, replaced with a head (no longer egg-shaped) of hair and a braid going down her back.

After recovering from the head trauma, Lambo was overjoyed. He quickly recounted his battle with Ilario to her, with a little embellishment to make himself look better, and she drank it all up.

Finally, when Gokudera got fed up with listening to the story of Lambo vs. the Gundam, he gave the two kids some money and sent them to the concession stands.

It was time for Takeshi's battle, after all.

_

* * *

Third Battle… Pioggia…_

_Edmund Fitzgerald III, Dragone, versus Takeshi Yamamoto, Vongola…_

"Does either fighter have an environmental request?" The Cervello asked the two swordsmen.

"I have one," Edmund answered, "Water."

"Vongola? Accept or deny?"

Edmund smiled. He knew about his adversary's use of water in his battles, and had trained to counter all of his Shigure Soen Ryu attacks. And he doubted Takeshi knew about his fighting style in water…

"Deny," Takeshi said simply, still smiling. Edmund did a double take.

"Alright. Battle, START!" The Cervello shouted before retreating.

"You… why did you turn down the water?" Edmund growled as he wrapped a cloth bearing the Dragone emblem around his left hand, making sure to keep the item in it concealed.

"I don't need it anymore, Ed," Takeshi answered, both hands in his pockets. Edmund tucked his left hand behind his back and lunged with his rapier. Takeshi easily sidestepped it.

"That all?" He asked. Edmund snarled and made two more stabs. Takeshi dodged them both. His hands were still in his pockets.

"Why! Don't! You! FIGHT!" Edmund yelled, punctuating each word with a stab or thrust.

"Why don't you _make_ me fight?" Takeshi responded.

"Torrential Downpour!" Edmund spat. He began to stab at his opponent with lightning quick speed, hoping to force the smiling idiot to draw his sword.

"Good job! I'm starting to get a workout!" Takeshi congratulated him, still dodging every thrust.

"You can't keep dodging forever!"

"Ed, I just spent a month in hell. If I can dodge an icepick from my grandmother, I can dodge a sword."

"STOP CALLING ME ED!" Ed screamed, making one last thrust.

Takeshi used his sword to block.

"Woah, woah, that was close," Takeshi muttered.

"What the hell… your sword is…" Ed was cut short when Takeshi sidestepped and sliced at him. Ed escaped with a small scratch. The sword had left behind just a drop of water from the blade.

"This… is my new sword, Tsubame no Sonshou. You like?" Takeshi asked, displaying the blade of his sword. It wasn't made of metal. It was made of water. Edmund growled.

"A FANCY NEW SWORD ISN'T GOING TO STOP ME FROM KILLING YOU!" He screamed as he charged forward. He thrust forward with his rapier, but only hit empty air. Takeshi had sidestepped again, and brought his sword down on the blade of Ed's rapier. It fell off cleanly and clattered to the ground.

"Can't do many different attacks with a sword meant for thrusting, can you?" Takeshi asked. His face made it seem like he was being his usual friendly self, but his mind was calm and calculating.

'_Alright, he's probably still got a box weapon of some sort, and I have to be careful about that left hand… Baa-chan said that rapier users usually keep a dagger or buckler in their off-hand, but I can't tell which he has…_' Takeshi thought. Meanwhile, Ed lit his Dragone Ring and used it to open the box on his belt. In a flash of blue fire, Edmund pulled out a new rapier, but with a thicker blade and a sapphire on the pommel. There was an inscription on the blade, but Takeshi couldn't read it; it was in English.

"My family's sword, the Blade of Fitzgerald. It's over for you, Takeshi Yamamoto," Edmund announced, swishing it through the air.

"A fancy new sword isn't going to stop me from beating you, Ed," Takeshi responded, taking a batter's stance.

"That's Utsushi Ame, isn't it? You don't have any water, genius," Edmund said, recognizing the stance.

Plink.

Edmund quickly looked up after feeling the raindrop. Up above, yet still below the invisible barrier, were dark clouds, with a tiny blue shape darting amongst them. A swallow.

"Impossible… We're INSIDE! When did you have time to activate your box animal?" Edmund screamed, not believing his eyes.

"When I drew my sword."

"What?"

"Tsubame no Sonshou's blade is held together by my flame. See this?" Takeshi tilted the sword to show Ed the bottom of the hilt. Inside the hilt was the unmistakable Vongola Pioggia Ring, blue with a flame that Edmund hadn't noticed before.

"I hid my box in my hand when I pulled out my sword, held it up to the flame, and bam! Instant rain-maker," Takeshi grinned as the rain began to fall harder. The water began to gather around Takeshi, forming a globe around him.

"Here I come," Takeshi said, and a second later, two Takeshis ran out, swords at the ready.

"Shigure Soen Ryu, Utsushi Ame!" Both Takeshi's called out.

"I know one of you is a fake, so… well, I didn't want to bring this to a sword fight, but ah well," Edmund sighed.

There were two loud sounds, and the cloth was blown away from Edmund's left hand, revealing a smoking pistol. The two bullets hit their mark, one in the head, and the other in the gut.

"Gotcha," Edmund said.

Both Takeshis disappeared, turning into puddles of water.

"Wha-"

"GOTCHA!" And Takeshi dropped down from above, slamming Edmund with the back of his sword. Edmund dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"WINNER! VONGOLA!"

_Victor: Vongola_

_Score: 3-0, Vongola_

_

* * *

Fourth Battle… Nebbia…_

_Valeria Velius, Dragone, versus Nagi Akiyama, Vongola…_

'_I have to win this… If I win this, then the Vongola will win_,' Nagi reminded herself as she faced down her opponent.

"Does either combatant have an environmental request?"

"No," Both replied.

"Then, battle, START!"

Valeria vanished instantly. Nagi closed her left eye and peeked through the curtain of illusion that Valeria had set up. After finding where Valeria was, she pulled back and made reality her bitch. A chunk of the ceiling above Valeria fell, nearly crushing her and sending up a cloud of dust. Nagi opened her box weapon, and an ugly, gray, and mostly featherless bird popped out. It squawked and ran straight into the cloud of dust. After a few moments, the dust settled to reveal a now visible Valeria waving her dagger to fend off the bird.

"Get away from me, you stupid, ugly…" She screamed as the bird continued to honk madly. "Oh, that's it," She groaned, activating a box. She vanished again. Nagi looked around, but couldn't see through the illusion.

'_Okay, I just need a few more minutes, and–_' Nagi's thoughts were put on hold by a cut opening across her back. Nagi flailed her arms around to try and hit her attacker, but she had already moved out of reach. Nagi glanced over at the bird once more. It had grown more feathers, and they were a little bit whiter, but it still needed more time.

Another cut opened on Nagi's arm. Valeria was just toying with her; by now, Nagi could have been dead twice.

Valeria, however, didn't know that she was also being toyed with.

"Chrome! Now!" Nagi called out. The bird, formerly the poster child for ugliness, had completely changed. Its smoothed feathers were a pure white, and a bright indigo flame burned at its wingtips. It threw its head back and honked. A burst of indigo fire came from its beak, bathing the entire arena in a globe of light, stopping just before the audience. When it faded, the illusion that had been making the barrier invisible was gone, making the barrier visible and blocking off the fight.

Valeria was revealed, a purple octopus sitting on her head with its tentacles wrapped around her like a cloak. When she realized that it had just been made useless, it vanished in a stream of fire back to its box.

"My Polpo di Nebbia… How did you just…?" Valeria started to ask, dumbstruck.

"Chrome is a Cigno di Nebbia. Its ability is to drain the opponents fiamma and use it to cancel illusions," Nagi explained, returning the swan to its box.

"Drain my fiamma? _How?_" Valeria demanded, holding her dagger at the ready. Nagi pointed at Valeria's hair. In it was a single feather that Chrome had planted on her during the tussle in the dust cloud. Valeria ripped it out and crumpled it up, a snarl on her face.

"Now, for my next trick…" Nagi said, stretching out her fingers. She started to force her will on reality again, and

_I think that's quite enough for one day, don't you, my dear Chrome?_

Nagi froze. That voice was

_I'm ba~ack…_

In an instant, Nagi was overwhelmed by the new presence in her mind. She gripped her head in pain, as if it would stop what was about to happen.

At that moment, the Cervello were able to restore the illusion on the barrier. Nagi was standing still, her head hanging down as her shoulders shook with laughter.

And it was a laugh that nobody expected to hear again.

"Kufufufu… kufufufu…" 'Nagi' chuckled. 'She' lifted her head to show that infamous smirk, and then started to stretch out.

"Been so long since I've had a body… So nice to be back," 'Nagi' said, "Now, then, where are we?"

After a few glances around the arena, 'Nagi' noticed the scoreboard, which read Vongola three, Dragone zero.

"Dragone, huh? Been a while since I've heard that name," 'She' said, "Ooh, three to zero? That won't do at all…" 'Nagi' turned to face the referee.

"I forfeit."

_Victor: Dragone_

_Score: 3-1, Vongola_

_

* * *

Later… Vongola Box…_

"So, this is how you greet me? How nice of you, Sawada Tsunayoshi," 'Nagi' said sarcastically as 'she' stared down the weapons of the Vongola Guardians.

"What are you doing here?" Tsuna spat, his sword arm leveled at 'Nagi's' throat.

"I wouldn't if I were you… this is still _her_ body, after all," 'Nagi' said, still smirking. Tsuna slowly lowered his sword. Takeshi followed his lead, then Ryohei.

"He's bluffing, Decimo. He doesn't give a rat's ass about the zombie's well being," Gokudera said, still aiming Flame Arrow.

"Um…"

"I'm not taking that chance, Gokudera."

"Excuse me…"

"If you say so, Decimo," Gokudera conceded, lowering his arm.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Kyoko asked, thoroughly confused.

"I don't think you two have really met yet. This is…" Tsuna started to say.

"Rokudo Mukuro, former Primo, Secondo, and Decimo Nebbia Guardian. I'm also sort of dead," 'Nagi' added.

"Wait, how is it possible that you were the Primo and Secondo's Guardian? You'd have to be…" Takeshi started counting something off on his fingers.

"Don't hurt your head thinking about it, damn flautist. Now, allow me to _truly_ introduce myself," Mukuro/Nagi said, bowing.

"I am the resurrection of Daemon Spade. It's nice to –"

"Six Seals of Heaven."

In an instant, six rings of light surrounded Mukuro/Nagi's head, before tightening and intersecting on his/her right eye. He/she turned around to see who had made those seals.

"I see… It was you," He/she said before collapsing. Speckles sighed.

"I honestly should have expected this," He said before turning around, "She'll wake up in a few minutes, but Mukuro shouldn't be able to force his way out for a while. Good luck in the fights."

And the cat left just as a frantic looking Ken rounded the corner.

At that point, nobody really knew what was going on.

_

* * *

Later…_

The stadium was completely silent as Hibari walked away. The battle had been raging on for half an hour with neither side gaining the upper hand until Hibari grudgingly made copies of himself and almost beat Selvaggia into submission. But as he stood over her, preparing to deal the final blow to end the battle, he did something nobody could have expected.

He lowered his tonfa, turned around, and walked away.

"I forfeit," He said to the Cervello.

"You… bastard," Selvaggia growled, using half of her broken staff to stand up. She picked up the second half and assumed a battle stance, holding the broken staff as she would a pair of swords.

"It's not over yet," She said, panting for breath. Kyoya smirked.

"On second thought, I think I'll keep fighting," Hibari told the Cervello, brandishing his tonfa in anticipation of round two. The two Nuvola Guardians, the clouds that could not be tied down, launched at each other and showed no mercy.

"VOOIII! WHY DID THAT ASS TRY TO SURRENDER?" Squalo shouted in the Varia box.

"That trash could have won the fight for the Vongola. After this is all over, I _swear…_"

"Boss! There's no need to get so upset! I'm sure he'll still win!"

"Mou, Levi-tan. Don't get so upset."

"I think I know why he was about to surrender," The Varia's illusionist, the Arcobaleno Viper, or Mammon, said suddenly.

"And, Mammon-tan?" The 'motherly' (read: gender confused) Serena Guardian, Lussuria, asked.

"Love."

There was pure silence in the box. Then everyone started laughing except Viper/Mammon and Bel, who had been staring at the Dragone box and spacing out for quite a while now.

"L-LOVE? THAT GUY?" Squalo shouted in between loud bursts of laughter.

"Okay, maybe not _love_, that's too strong a word, but definitely interest. _Major _interest," Viper/Mammon concluded.

"And you know this… _how?_" Levi asked.

"Call it woman's intuition."

Silence. Several dropped jaws.

"You… you're a…"

"Well, you never asked."

Down in the arena, the battle was nearing a close. One half of Selvaggia's staff had broken, so she simply used the remaining half as a short staff.

Selvaggia ducked under a swing from Hibari, using her short staff to knock his feet out from under him. As he fell, she rose, lifting her short staff above her head to deal the finishing blow.

She saw the smile on his face, the excitement in his eyes. But under that, the genuine desire to kill her. For a split second, she hesitated.

Then she brought the staff down on his skull.

_Victor: Dragone_

_Score: 3-2, Vongola_

_

* * *

Meanwhile… Somewhere in Rome…_

"Von-go-la! Is it that hard to understand?" Haru moaned to the taxi driver. She had arrived in Rome forty-five minutes earlier, and had been spending about fifteen minutes trying, unsuccessfully, to break the language barrier.

The driver only spoke Italian. The only word in Italian that Haru knew was Vongola. The driver was apparently blissfully unaware of the most powerful Mafia Famiglia in Italy. Haru slumped in the back seat, completely dejected.

"I really should have paid more attention in Goku-chan's Italian classes, ~desu…" She said to herself, "Why doesn't everybody in Italy just learn Japanese?"

The driver put a hand to his left ear, as if he was listening to something. A second later, he started to drive. Haru looked up, beaming.

"Yatta! Haru, one, language barrier, ZERO, ~desu!" She celebrated, quite pleased with herself.

And the cab drove on to the arena at the Accademia.

_

* * *

Sixth battle… Tempesta…_

_Lilia Fiametta, Dragone, versus Hayato Gokudera, Vongola…_

"Battle, START!"

"Oh, I have wanted to do this for _so_ long," Gokudera said to himself as he equipped Flame Arrow, the numerous rings circling around him as a circle of red fire formed at his feet. A chain of bullets jumped out of one of the boxes at Gokudera's belt, which he fed into the back mouth of the arm cannon.

"Armare Serena!" He called out, circling around Lilia as he let loose a barrage of bullets. Lilia calmly aimed her rocket launcher at the ground behind her, jumped, and fired.

The blast sent Lilia airborne, and she turned around in midair to fire off several shots at the rapidly moving Vongola Tempesta. Gokudera swerved to avoid them, the rings around him moving to intercept the shards of stone from the explosions. Another canister was locked into the back skull.

"Armare Nuvola!" He shouted as a rapidly branching blast of purple flame shot out. Lilia aimed her rocket launcher up, blasting herself downwards, narrowly avoiding the attack. Just as she was about to hit the ground, she shot off a rocket at Gokudera, giving herself horizontal momentum and landing easily. Gokudera's defense rings lined up to block the attack, but the rocket pierced through three rings before stopping.

"Impressive," He admitted, unloading the Nuvola canister, "But it's not enough!"

And then a yellow ball of cute fury launched itself from Gokudera's belt, obviously intent on doing what it did best to the opponent's face. Lilia quickly opened up her own box, and a bunny with tufts of red flame on its ears jumped out, landing a kick on Uri before hitting the ground. Uri stood up and hissed menacingly at the rabbit.

"Uri! Come!" Gokudera ordered, lighting one of his rings. A yellow fire sprang forth. Uri instantly turned around and jumped at Gokudera, lapping at the flame. The red fire on Uri's ears started to fade, replaced by a yellow flame. Uri quickly started to grow, soon reaching the size and shape of a fully-grown leopard. The leopard turned to glare at the rabbit. The bunny held still for one second before turning around and running away as fast as it could. Uri leapt into action, and what followed was a hare-raising chase around the arena.

"Meh. Didn't really need to use that, anyway," Lilia admitted, taking aim with her rocket launcher.

"I'm surprised that you're trying to kill me, stalker. Knowing you, I would have assumed that you'd just try to force yourself on me," Gokudera said, loading another canister. Lilia shrugged.

"I was planning on that at first, but then Gio said that if I beat you up, he'd let me keep you as a pet," Lilia said.

"How much longer?" Gio, in the Dragone box, asked his Nebbia Guardian. She checked her cell phone.

"Driver just got here. The girl is currently being held up by security."

"Where's the actual security?"

"If they've been good? Heaven."

Back down in the arena, Gokudera groaned and palmed his face.

"My God, you just _don't give up_, do you?" He sighed.

"I decided that I would make you mine, Hayato. Ever since I saw that graceful way you played the piano…"

"And what exactly would 'being yours' entail?"

"To put it simply? Basically being my bitch."

The arena was completely silent.

"Your… bitch."

"Yep. I'm reeeeeeaaaally good at tying knots."

In the Varia box, Bel let out a whimsical sigh.

"After the fights are over, I call dibs on that woman," He said, smirking widely before beginning to laugh to himself. There were some shudders among his colleagues.

"A relationship between two sadists… Probably not going to end well," Levi mused. Anyway, back to the arena…

"Do you _seriously _think that I'd be okay with that?" Gokudera shouted, now fairly angered. He'd known she was an annoying twit, but a sadist?

"I never said anything about _you _being okay with it."

"For God's sake… _Is your information system so pathetic you don't even know I'm in a relationship?_"

"Now," Gio ordered Valeria. She tapped a few buttons on her cell phone before giving her boss the sign that it was done.

"Fifteen seconds 'til she gets there."

In the arena, Lilia had frozen, wide-eyed.

"Im-impossible. Gio would have told me…"

"Well, I guess he didn't. Because while she may be one of the more… quirky women I've had the pleasure of meeting, and I'll admit that we've spent a lot of time arguing over the smallest things…"

"So true," was the general consensus in the Vongola box.

"…Her smile's enough to stop a storm dead in its tracks," Gokudera said. There was a loud "Awwww," from the majority of the audience.

"So just get it through your thick, empty skull, stalker. As long as I still have her, I will never, ever…"

"GOKU-CHAAAAN!"

Every head in the building turned to face the entrance where the scream had come from. Standing in the entrance, panting heavily, was none other than Miura Haru.

"Ha-HARU?" Tsuna screamed from the Vongola box.

"_Haru?_" Gokudera screamed.

"HARU, DESU!" She shouted, promptly killing the mood. Lilia had hung her head so that her eyes could not be seen.

"That's her… Her… Her... HER? SHE'S THE ONE THAT'S POISONING MY PREY?" Lilia howled. Gokudera deadpanned at her word choice. Then he saw her eyes.

In them was nothing so simple as anger. It was pure, berserk _rage_.

Berserk.

"Oh, sh-" Was all Gokudera got out before Lilia was standing in front of him, her rocket launcher above her head.

"_Die_," She said before slamming him in the side so hard he was thrown into the wall. Lilia followed him, her eyes still filled with rage, and continued to hammer him with the rocket launcher.

"IF! I! CAN'T! HAVE! YOU! NO! ONE! WILL!" Lilia screamed, not noticing what was approaching from behind.

With a roar, Uri, still fully-grown, pounced, claws extended. Now, keep in mind Uri was dangerous when it was a kitten. Now, Uri is lethal. And trust me, you don't want to see what it did to the rabbit.

It was over in an instant, but not how anybody would have expected.

Three Cervello appeared and restrained Uri, making it shrink down to kitten size, and another Cervello grabbed Lilia's arm.

"The combatant has been deemed unfit for further combat. Dragone is the victor."

Gokudera lay against the wall, unconscious and bleeding.

_

* * *

Later…_

An hour later, the Vongola Famiglia Guardians, plus Haru, minus Hibari were still waiting in Gokudera's room in the makeshift hospital near the arena. Ilario, Paco, Edmund, and Hibari had been discharged earlier, and the three Dragone Guardians had returned to the Dragone box, while Hibari had vanished. In unrelated news, nobody had seen Selvaggia for a while, either.

Questions had been asked of Haru, and she had shown Tsuna the letter that she had received from 'Gokudera'. Tsuna noted that the handwriting was definitely _not_ Gokudera's, which sent Haru into a fit of rage. The letter was promptly ripped into confetti.

Gokudera's eyes jumped open, and he tried to sit up. He was sent back down by a strangely familiar buff nurse. A second later, he was being glomped by his sobbing girlfriend.

"G-Goku-chaaaan! I th-thought you were d-dead, ~desu! Don't worry me like that again, ~desu!" Haru cried. Gokudera was finding it hard to breathe. When the buff nurse pulled Haru off him, Gokudera took a deep breath.

"Gokudera-kun, are you alright?" Tsuna asked him. Gokudera clutched his head, trying to remember what had just happened to him.

The last he could remember was the butt end of the berserk Lilia's rocket launcher.

"_Shit! _I- I lost!" He realized. If the buff nurse had let him, Gokudera would have been on the ground in front of Tsuna slamming his head against the floor.

"Gokudera-kun, it's all right…"

"Boss, I had her _right where I wanted her!_ If I hadn't passed out at that moment, Uri would have… Uri…" Now, the nurse, fed up with having to force Gokudera down continually, punched him in the gut.

"I'm so sorry… Decimo…" Gokudera sobbed when he regained his composure.

"Gokudera-kun, I…"

"_We_," Kyoko corrected him.

"Sorry, _we _don't intend to lose," Tsuna reassured his Tempesta Guardian.

"Five minutes until the final match," The intercom announced.

"I take it I can't go watch the fight?" Gokudera asked the nurse.

"Of course not. There's a television here you can use," She said.

"Is the fight going to start?" Haru asked, unable to understand the Italian voice on the intercom.

"Yeah. Are you going to stay here?" Tsuna asked. Haru nodded.

"Later, Gokudera," Takeshi said as the Guardians left. Ryohei started shouting about how the next fight was going to be completely extreme.

"Yeah. Later," Gokudera responded. Haru rubbed his hand reassuringly.

It was finally time.

_

* * *

Final Battle… Cielo and Madonna…_

_Giuseppe Dragone and Anonymous, Dragone, versus Tsunayoshi Sawada and Kyokuten Sasagawa, Vongola…_

"In order to win this battle, both combatants of one Famiglia must be unfit for further battle. Do either teams have any environmental requests?" The Cervello asked for the final time. All four fighters shook their heads.

"Understood. Final battle, START!"

Tsuna's forehead burst into flame as his right sleeve was ripped to shreds by his activating arm. Kyoko's X-Boots lit up with yellow flame as her eyes began to shine. Gio unsheathed his sword, which began to burn with orange fire as his unknown Madonna pulled up her sleeves to show her gauntlets, a streak of orange flame running along them.

"I'll take Gio."

"Alright."

The two launched themselves at their respective opponents. A sword sprung out of Tsuna's hand as he activated Modo Attaco Minore, and he and Gio locked swords. Kyoko jumped above her opponent, doing a spin in midair before executing a drop kick. The Dragone Madonna dropped to her knees and punched the ground, bringing up a wall of earth to block Kyoko's kick. Another punch brought up a spike of stone behind Kyoko, which she managed to avoid by going airborne.

Kyoko flew over the wall, using her bracelets to give her downward momentum for another devastating kick. The Madonna caught her leg with one hand, and swung her around before flinging her to the ground.

Meanwhile, Tsuna and Gio were still clashing, although Gio, who had years of experience with swords, clearly had the upper hand. Tsuna jumped back, knowing he couldn't win in a head on fight with a sword. He activated Modo Balistico Minore, and opened fire. Gio's sword was like a propeller, stopping any bullet that got too close to him.

"Is this all you've got, Vongola?" Gio shouted, loosing a wave of fire from his sword. Tsuna took off, avoiding the fire and shooting off more volleys of bullets at Gio. Gio, still blocking with his sword, followed suit, taking off and getting as close to Tsuna as he could before launching another melee offensive. Tsuna used his arm to block the blade, and grimaced as it dug in. His arm may have been metal, but he could still feel any damage taken by it.

"I don't see why I bothered to let you live, Vongola. This is simply child's play to me!" Gio cackled, continuing to press his sword down on Tsuna.

On the other front, Kyoko had stood up before her enemy had a chance to attack her while she was down. The two started trading blows, on equal footing until Kyoko got an attack in and struck the cloaked Madonna's head.

Her mask fell to the ground, shattering. And Kyoko's blood ran cold as she saw just who her enemy was.

One of the first people she had met upon arriving in Italy. A girl who could make Italian sound like it originated in Texas. A girl with red hair and a sharp grin. The captain of the cheerleading squad and the person who had encouraged her to ask Tsuna to the dance.

Maria Venutti.

"M-Maria…" She gasped. Her friend wiped away a trickle of blood from her lip.

"Kyoko… I'm so sorry," She said, and attacked while Kyoko was still caught off guard. She slammed Kyoko in the gut, knocking her back and continuing to attack relentlessly.

"Maria, why are you doing this? I thought you were my friend!" Kyoko shouted, doing her best to block Maria's attacks.

"I _am_ your friend, Kyoko! I jus'… I don't 'ave any say in th' matter right now!" Maria responded.

"What do you mean?"

"I _mean_…" Maria groaned, "Y' remember that time I told you 'bout my family?"

"Yeah," Kyoko responded. Maria had shown her the locket she always wore, with a picture inside of her with her family, which consisted of her father, her mother, and her little brother, Alexandre. All four were smiling broadly, and Maria was ruffling the young boy's hair. He couldn't have been more than eight.

"Well, that_ bastard _has 'em, and if I don't win for 'im, then… then…" A tear dripped down Maria's cheek, but she still attacked ruthlessly. Kyoko was still on the defensive. There was no way that she could willingly hurt the woman who was once her friend.

However, the woman Kyoko was fighting was not Maria Venutti. She was just a now empty puppet controlled by the spirit of the Primo Dragone Madonna, Laura Dragone. When the Dragone Madonna Ring had been forced onto Maria, the old spirit inside of it was able to easily take control of her body, and her first act upon being made flesh and blood was the slaughter of the family of her host. Maria could do little but watch as her entire family was killed by her own hands, and the poor girl's spirit had retreated to a corner of her mind, blocking herself in and away from the demoness controlling her.

Maria Venutti was no more. Now, there was only Dragone.

Unfortunately, Kyoko did not know this.

Her defense started getting sloppy. Finally, Laura saw her chance. Her tearful façade disappeared, replaced by a truly evil grin.

"_YOU'RE SO NAÏVE!" _She screeched, piercing through Kyoko's defense with an uppercut that sent her airborne. 'Maria' followed her up, continuing to punch Kyoko's defenseless body to keep her in the air.

"Stupid, stupid, _stupid_! A silly little sob story, and you fucking _give up?_ HAH! You call yourself a Madonna, little girl?" 'Maria' cackled, stopping her onslaught and grabbing Kyoko by the throat.

"Let me tell you something… I am Laura Dragone, the Primo Dragone Madonna. This girl's body is _mine_, now. And do you want me to tell you the first thing I did when I took it over?" She brought her mouth closer to the choking Kyoko's ear.

"With these hands, _I killed her family_," She said before laughing sadistically, "And when I did that? This girl's spirit just _cowered _and let herself wither away in a corner of her mind! 'That bastard has my family'? HAH!"

"You… monster…" Kyoko hissed. 'Maria's grip tightened on Kyoko's throat.

"When you're in the Mafia, you learn to be cruel. You? You couldn't bring yourself to hurt me at all," She said. Despite the fact that she was starting to literally turn blue, Kyoko gave a small smile.

"Maybe _I _can't…" She whispered.

"_TAKE THIS!_" was her only warning.

'_The hell…_' was her only thought.

The flat of Tsuna's sword was the only thing on her mind.

Laura dropped like a stone, releasing Kyoko in her surprise. Tsuna, seeing that Kyoko was in danger, had broken off from his fight to come to her aid. Unfortunately, Gio was close behind him.

What happened next was a mixture of trust between Tsuna and Kyoko and just pure luck. Mostly luck.

The second after knocking Madonna Dragone out cold, Tsuna retracted his sword and grabbed Kyoko's hand without losing momentum. She understood his plan instantly and stiffened her legs. Gio was almost within reach of Tsuna, his sword brought back for an attack.

Then he saw the bottom of Kyoko's boots as Tsuna swung her with all his might straight at him. The impact sent him to the far side of the arena, knocking him unconscious instantly. In a heartbeat, two Cervello appeared over his and Madonna's bodies to check if they were conscious. After a moment, they both raised their hands.

"Vongola is the victor!" They both announced. The crowd burst into applause. Nana nearly passed out, before being caught by Iemitsu.

The Cervello who had checked Gio for consciousness bent down to retrieve the Dragone Ring, but as she did so, he regained consciousness. He grabbed her throat, throwing her to the side like a ragdoll as he stood up shakily.

"I'm. Not. Done. Yet. _Vongola_," He growled. The other Cervello stepped between Tsuna and Gio.

"Giuseppe Dragone, the match has already been called. Please forfeit your Dragone Ring as per the agreement, or you will be forcefully taken to Vendicare," She threatened.

"No," Gio responded, and then he cut the Cervello down. The crowd screamed in horror.

"ILARIO! BEGIN THE FINAL STEP!" Gio screamed at the Dragone box. His Fulmine Guardian nodded, and started talking into the radio on his collar.

When Ilario finished giving the order, the arena was stormed by men armed to the teeth.

"What are you doing?" Tsuna shouted at the laughing Dragone.

"Cutting off loose ends!" Gio shouted back, pulling a box weapon out of his pocket.

_

* * *

Meanwhile…_

"_SHIT! _I have to get to the arena!" Gokudera screamed, trying to pull himself out of the bed. The nurse shoved him back down.

"Doctor's orders," She said, unflinchingly.

Then, a cold presence made itself known. The nurse broke into a cold sweat as she turned to face the almost evil feeling that something behind her was giving off. What she saw was Miura Haru, wreathed by darkness, but her attention was on the _thing _behind her. It looked like a love-child of both Big Bird and Satan, and it had a sharp looking knife and a bucket in its hands. The thing roared, and the nurse did the first thing that came to mind.

She fainted. The monster faded away, as well as the darkness that had been surrounding Haru. Gokudera was in shock.

"You… just… how… that… what?" He tried to say.

"Do you want to talk, or get to Tsuna-san, ~desu?" Haru asked, pulling up a wheelchair and letting Gokudera drag himself into it.

_

* * *

Meanwhile…_

A large group of the soldiers brought in by the Dragone Famiglia, mostly made up of rival Famiglia's to the Dragone, and armed by the Pollo Famiglia, kicked down the door to the CEDEF box.

Biggest mistake ever.

It was over in a second. Every last one of the men was defeated by eight of the most powerful people in Italy. Nana just hid in a corner, terrified at this new turn of events.

"Looks like we'll be having some fun, huh?" Cesare said, lighting a new cigarette.

"Cesare, Otavio, Speckles. Go get the students out of here. Tsuyoshi, Shigure, Hanabi, Sai…" Iemitsu looked around for a second, "Where's Saigo?"

"Where do you think?"

"Attacking the enemy's main force. Anyway, Tsuyoshi, Shigure, and Hanabi, come with me. Nana, go with the others," Iemitsu told his wife.

"She'll be safe with us, Mitsu-chan," Otavio promised.

"I'll take your word for it."

_

* * *

Vongola box…_

Ken hurled the soldier away, knocking over a small group of them.

"Strike, byon!" He called out, his Gorilla Channel equipped. Behind him, Nagi was casting illusions to disorient the enemies while the others took them out.

"Nagi, are you okay, byon?" Ken asked her. She nodded.

"I'm fine, it's just that there's so many of them…"

"We'll be fine, byon."

"THE MOTHERFUCKING CAVALRY HAS ARRIVED!" A familiar voice shouted over the din. A blast of red flames announced Gokudera's and Haru's arrival better than any battle cry could. A score of soldier were wiped out, but more were coming. Haru wheeled Gokudera over to the group.

"Feeling better, Gokudera?"

"Yeah. Thanks for leaving me some, baseball-idiot."

Takeshi laughed, Ryohei shouted, Lambo started yelling about how he was the best, and the Vongola Guardians continued to fight.

_

* * *

Meanwhile…_

The soldier put his ear up to the supply closet door, sure that he had heard something inside.

"Anything?" The squad leader asked. The soldier pulled his head back.

"No, sir. Must have been my…"

Then the door shot off its hinges and plastered the soldier to the wall. The entire squad quickly trained their guns on the empty doorway. Out of the darkness stepped two figures, one of which was looking _very _irritated, and the other which was adjusting its clothes, which seemed a bit ruffled.

"S-Selvaggia!" The squad leader said, addressing the second figure. The first figure was…

Oh crap.

"Annoying herbivores," Hibari snarled. He pulled several hairs from his head and set them on fire with his ring. The hairs grew until they were all almost perfect clones of Hibari.

"I'll bite you to death," They all said at the same time. They went to work, disposing of the soldiers with Selvaggia's aid.

"W-why are you doing this? W-we're on your side!" One of the soldiers said to her before she dislocated his shoulder.

"I was only helping the Dragone because it seemed interesting. And you? You made the mistake of _getting in my way_," She snapped before snapping his collarbone.

"I-i-impossible…" The last soldier left was uttering. The group of Hibari surrounded him as he backed into a wall.

"You're… you're not human."

He had seen the way that the monster in front of him had made himself into a dozen. How each one fought with the same ferocity as the original. He remembered those words that he had said.

"I'll bite you to death," Every one of the Hibari-clones said.

"You're… you're a… a pi-!" The soldier screamed before being silenced.

The soldier would survive, and tell those that he met of the horrifying man that had nearly killed him. The Vongola Nuvola Decimo, the cloud that could not be tied down. Except he wouldn't refer to him as Hibari Kyoya.

He would call the man 'Piranha'.

_

* * *

Meanwhile…_

"Do you know what this is, Vongola?" Gio asked Tsuna holding up the box weapon for him to see. Tsuna slowly shook his head.

"My own personal box weapon; the only one of its kind: Dragone di Cielo. Unfortunately, I can't use it on its own. The genetic material's too soft to keep itself alive. Which is why…" Gio grinned, "Laura."

"Y-yes, my lord," Laura said, standing up unsteadily and hobbling over to Gio. "Is it… time?"

"Yes. You see, this box needs an already existing life form to attach itself to, and she…" Gio pressed his ring into the box, and then placed the opening of the box over Laura's heart, "Should do quite nicely."

"For the Dragone!" Laura screamed.

Then, the box opened, and she began to change.

Her body stretched and grew to inhuman proportions as a tail and a set of wings sprouted from her back. Laura screamed in pain as her face elongated, growing fangs, and her hands and feet became claws and talons. Still, she grew, reaching a full size of fifty feet high as green scales grew over her skin. The scream of pain became a roar of rage.

"Dragone di Cielo, LAURA!" Gio cackled, alighting on its back. An orange flame surrounded the dragon's skull like a mane. Kyoko placed her hands over her mouth.

"Ma-Maria… no…" She whispered, tears beginning to streak down her face.

"You _bastard!_" Tsuna screamed as his flames burned stronger than before.

"Laura," Gio ordered, and the dragon swiped its claw at the pair. Tsuna and Kyoko split, taking to the air to avoid the attack.

Laura continued to attack at the two, making sure to keep them from regrouping. Tsuna opened his box weapon, sending Nuts out.

"Nuts!" Tsuna called. The lion cub, understanding what its orders were, roared at the enormous dragon. Orange flames erupted from its mouth, covering the dragon's legs, slowly turning them to the same stone that it stood on. Laura screeched in anger, trying to move its legs but finding them too heavy to move.

"Come and get me, Gio!" Tsuna taunted. Gio, still standing on the back of the dragon with his hand on its neck, sneered at him.

"I get it. You _can't_. That dragon has to be continually supplied by your flames, so to keep it moving, you have to stay in contact with it. Correct?" Tsuna asked, certain that he was right in his guess. Gio just scoffed in response. Kyoko reappeared at Tsuna's side. Her own box weapon, a Leonessa di Serena cub named Coco, joined Nuts down on the ground.

"Tsuna, should we do it?" She asked, fully intending to avenge her friend. Tsuna nodded, and touched his right forearm. After pressing a few hidden buttons, music began to waft out of it from revealed speakers. Music that was pure chaos, before the sound of a triangle emerged and tamed it. It was the magnum opus of Asari Ugetsu, the legendary flautist who had been the Vongola Pioggia Primo, written specifically for Giotto Vongola: il Waltz di la Vongola. Gio's eyes narrowed in anger as he heard that music.

Tsuna and Kyoko, on the other hand, were calm. Tsuna bowed to Kyoko; Kyoko curtsied to Tsuna with an imaginary skirt. The two took a position as if they were going to dance, staring into each others eyes.

"Sincronizzazione," They whispered under their breaths as their flames fell into perfect internal harmony. Slowly, they began to move, a full month of dance training kicking in. Down on the ground, Nuts and Coco began to change. They both grew, stretching out until they were no longer cubs, but full a full-grown lion and lioness.

As they danced, the stone around Laura's legs shattered, revealing the green scales underneath. Nuts and Coco pounced at the dragon, nimbly avoiding the swinging claws and flapping wings to scratch at the tough scales.

"Ignore them! Focus on those two!" Gio ordered, pointing at Tsuna and Kyoko. Laura drew her head back and launched a fireball the size of a car at Tsuna and Kyoko. They separated, flying around the attack and circling the dragon's head like gnats. As the dragon became more and more confused, Tsuna and Kyoko stopped in front of the dragon's face. Tsuna's arm turned into Modo Attaco Maggiore, based off the Mitena di Vongola Primo, and Tsuna dealt the dragon an uppercut, followed by a drop kick from Kyoko. The dragon's head was forcefully lowered down to the ground by the attack, leaving it open to attack from Nuts and Coco.

"It's over, Gio! Give up!" Tsuna and Kyoko said in sync.

"I'd rather _die!_" Gio shouted back, blasting a ball of fire at Nuts and Coco. The two lions escaped, while Laura simply shook off the fire as if it was nothing.

"You leave us no choice," Both Tsuna and Kyoko said. Before Laura could snap them in half with her powerful jaws, the pair vanished.

"Where'd you run to, cowards?" Gio screamed, looking around to try and find them.

"Front burner, 100%. Back burner, 100%. Ready for deployment," A mechanical voice reported.

"They can't be…!" Gio gasped, realizing just where his enemies had gone. Underneath Laura.

"X…" Kyoko shouted, her foot extended to pump her own flames into the cannon on Tsuna's arm.

"BURNER!" Tsuna finished, and the cannon fired.

The blast, while not possessing much penetration, did have kick. The dragon was knocked into the air, hitting the barrier and crushing Gio. When the blast of orange flame died, the dragon and its master fell. Tsuna and Kyoko quickly moved out of the way of the falling beast. The dragon did not move after falling.

When they were certain that the dragon was not going anywhere ever again, Kyoko ran straight to its head, while Tsuna went around it and approached the seemingly unconscious Gio.

"Tsu…na?" Gio whispered. Tsuna quickly raised his arm.

"Is he… gone…?" 'Gio' asked. Tsuna lowered his arm.

"Beppo?" He asked.

"Yeah… Dios, Tsuna… he's… he's finally gone…" The heavily wounded Beppo cried. Tsuna knelt at his side and cradled him in his arms.

"You're going to live, Beppo, don't worry," Tsuna said reassuringly. He knew the odds of that happening were low, though. He couldn't see Beppo's lower half.

"Yeah… right," Beppo laughed, coughing up blood.

"I… I'm so sorry. I swear, I didn't want to kill you…" Tsuna said, starting to cry. Despite the circumstances, Beppo smiled.

"In a choice between death and Vendicare, I think I'll take death, thanks," He said. Slowly, he reached down to his right hand and pulled off the Dragone Ring, holding it up to Tsuna.

"I think this belongs to you, Vongola Decimo," He said. Tsuna grabbed his hand, crying freely now.

"No, no, no… Please don't… I-I don't want to have killed someone…" Tsuna begged. Beppo closed his eyes.

"A Mafia Boss who cries at the death of an enemy… Goddamnit, don't be so soft, Tsuna," Beppo said, "I'll see you… later…" And his hand fell from Tsuna's as his head fell. Tears fell down Tsuna's cheeks in rivers as he held his dead friend's body close.

Meanwhile, Kyoko bade farewell to her dying friend, a girl sacrificed by a madman for a lost cause.

_

* * *

Later…_

After the Varia fought their way through to the Dragone box and captured (alive, for once) the former Dragone Guardians, the soldiers lost morale pretty quickly. All the Dragone Rings were claimed, and Bel had, true to his word, claimed Lilia as his own by handcuffing her and throwing her over his shoulder. Now let's never speak of it again.

No arrests were made by the Vendici, since the only one who had broken the laws of the Mafia was currently dead. Selvaggia, for one, was given a ring by Xanxus (no, not like that. Hibari would have killed him) and invited to join Varia as its Nuvola. And by 'invited', I mean 'not really given much of a choice in the matter'.

Now, the Arcobaleno were gathered with the Vongola Guardians plus Bianchi, who had insisted on accompanying Reborn.

Fong bowed as he received the Dragone Tempesta Ring from Tsuna and touched it to his Arcobaleno Pacifier. In a flash of light, he grew to his original size. The Arcobaleno Pacifier had bloomed, and was now a red gem in the shape of a rose. Skull, after lording the Dragone Ring over the other Arcobaleno for a little bit (Reborn kicked his ass), brought it to his Pacifier and grew. The Pacifier turned into a purple petunia, and Skull proceeded to lord his new size over the other Arcobaleno, still with that goddamned Mickey-Mouse voice (Reborn still kicked his ass).

When Viper grew to her original size, the Pacifier became an indigo (as in the plant indigo). When Verde received the Dragone Fulmine Ring, he smiled, then tucked it away in his lab coat.

"I'll pass, thank you," He said, turning to leave. Colonello grabbed his shoulder.

"Oi, kora. Where do you think you're going?" Colonello asked sternly.

"My lab. I have work to do, and with this body? An eternity to do it," Verde answered calmly. Colonello tightened his grip.

"So, all these years you could have been working on a way to break this curse, you didn't bother with it because you _just didn't feel like it?_" Colonello spat, forsaking his trademark 'kora'.

"Pretty much. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Verde shook off Colonello's hand and started to walk away. Unfortunately, he didn't count on Lal knocking him to the ground and forcing him to stay there.

"You wouldn't _dare_," Verde said, only the slightest bit of fear in his voice. Lal, with a smirk, reached into his lab coat and pulled out the Ring. Verde tried to struggle, but could not do a thing as he watched his body grow and his Pacifier bloom into a green rose. He was last seen running from the arena screaming.

Tsuna, slightly worded out, handed the Dragone Madonna and Pioggia Rings to Lal and Colonello, respectively. Lal completed her Pacifier, which bloomed into a white orchid tinted with blue, first, followed by Colonello, whose Pacifier bloomed into a hyacinth. The first thing he did with his restored body was to sweep Lal off her feet into a deep kiss. The second thing he did was nurse the black eye she gave him.

"What do we do with the Dragone Cielo Ring?" Tsuna asked Reborn before handing him the last Ring.

"Nobody's really sure where the Cielo Arcobaleno is, so we'll just have to keep it in the Vault. Now, the ring, please?" Reborn said, holding out his hand. Tsuna handed it to him. Reborn marveled it for a second before turning to Bianchi.

"I hope you won't mind, Bianchi. I'm going to be a little bit bigger now," He said politely. Bianchi simply smiled.

"Why would I? It was the man in that painting that I fell in love with," She said, leaning down to kiss Reborn. Tsuna gagged a little bit. Gokudera did his best to not feel sick. And so, Reborn brought the Pacifier and the Ring together.

When the light faded, Reborn was gone, replaced by a tall man with black hair, curling sideburns, a large horned chameleon on his shoulder, and a ring shaped like a sunflower on his finger. The man bent down to pick up his hat, which had fallen off during the transformation.

"Re… Reborn?" Tsuna asked. The man got out all of one word before Bianchi tackled him.

"Ciaossu."

* * *

Translations:

Tsubame no Sonshou: Swallow's Tears

Cigno di Nebbia: Mist Swan

Polpo di Nebbia: Mist Octopus

Armare: Arm

Sincronizzazione: Synchronization

A/N:

*collapses* Finally… Freaking… DOOOOONNNEE!

It has been _so long_ since I started this story, and MY GOD has it come far. One hundred and eighty six pages and seventy six _thousand_ words, not counting omakes. But, by God, its finally finished.

Now, some of you may be asking: will there be a sequel? No, probably not. I'm sorry, but I am finished with this story. I was going to write an epilogue about Tsuna and Kyoko's wedding ten years later, but I realized that I know almost exactly nothing about weddings, so I just let it go.

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me over these long months. I'm sorry my habits regarding updates weren't exactly the best, but here it is now, and that's all that matters. Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this story, and most of all, please, please, PLEASE review. For my sake, just DO IT.


	18. Epilogue

Eh, I decided, what the hell? I'll make an epilogue. Tsuna and Kyoko's wedding. You're very welcome.

Disclaimer: Still don't own KHR.

Epilogue

_

* * *

Ten years later…_

It was a spring day in a large cathedral in the city of Roma. It was the wedding day for two of the most powerful people in Italy. The bride was called the Lioness, and she was the groom's confidant, his lover, and his External Advisor, the most recent leader of CEDEF after the previous one retired to help his wife raise their new daughter. The groom had taken his father's title as the Lion of the Vongola, who had brought almost the entirety of Europe's underworld under his command, the man who fought like an army to defend his allies, no matter how small or insignificant they were, and the man who bore the blood of the Vongola Primo.

He was currently scared out of his mind on the altar.

It was finally The Day. The Day Tsuna had been waiting for for months with both excitement and dread. What if something happened during the ceremony? What if Haru decided to suddenly give birth during the vows? What if Kyoko decided she didn't want to get married? What if-

Xavier quickly walked over and smacked the back of Tsuna's head.

"Calm down, Dame-Tsuna," He ordered before returning to his spot beside Gokudera, who was both the best man and the piano player; the piano had been dragged out so that he could still be at Tsuna's side. Also at Tsuna's side were Ryohei, the sixteen-year old Lambo, and Takeshi. Tsuna had asked Hibari to be there, but he hadn't shown up, to absolutely nobody's surprise. On the other side of the altar stood Kyoko's bridesmaids, the _very_ pregnant Haru (she and Gokudera had gotten married a few months prior), Hana, Lal, I-Pin, and Nagi. Tsuna felt a tug on his jacket and looked down to see his slightly diminutive ring-bearer.

"Hey, Tsuna-nii? Is Kyoko-nee gonna be here soon?" Nadeshiko Sawada, nine years old, asked. Tsuna smiled, reaching down to ruffle her hair. A precision thrown piece of rice from Nana told him not to.

"I spent _hours_ on her hair! Don't mess with it!" She hissed. For a second, Tsuna and Nade both had identical expressions as they deadpanned.

"Yes, Mom," Brother and sister replied dutifully. Tsuna turned back to Nade.

"Yeah, she'll hopefully…" Another smack from Xavier, "I mean, she will be. Soon," Tsuna said, rubbing the spot on his head where Xavier had hit him.

He was right. At that moment, the doors to the chapel swung open, to reveal three people: Vita, the five year old daughter of Xavier and Bianchi, who was the ceremony's flower girl (Gokudera quickly looked away when he saw her; she had her mother's face, but her father's sideburns), Toumaru, who was giving the bride away, and the bride herself, Kyoko, wearing a white dress designed by some of the world's greatest fashion designers. Tsuna, with all of his willpower, was only barely able to keep his eyes in his head and his body upright. Gokudera started to play 'Here Comes the Bride'.

"Tsuna-nii, _focus!_" Nade hissed, stepping on his foot. Tsuna bit back a yelp, shooting a glare at the young girl.

By that time, Kyoko and Toumaru had reached the end of the aisle. Kyoko gave her father a quick embrace before walking up to join Tsuna at the altar. Toumaru took his seat in the pews next to Hanabi, who was fighting back tears. Vita gave her father a quick wave before joining her mother.

"You look beautiful, Kyoko," Tsuna told her. Kyoko's blush could be seen through the veil. Together, they faced the priest.

"We are gathered here today…" The priest began. The rest of the speech passed in a blur for Tsuna because of his excitement*, and it was suddenly time for the exchanging of the vows. Tsuna reached into his breast pocket for a neatly folded piece of paper on which he had written his vows. He cleared his throat before reading.

"Sasagawa Kyoko, when I first saw you, I was basically only known to the world as 'Dame-Tsuna'. I had horrible grades, no physical abilities whatsoever, no real charisma, and I was bullied by just about everyone. I chose not to go to school very often, but that was before I saw you. Our class's idol, the incredible Sasagawa Kyoko. When I saw you on the first day of school that year, I was fairly certain I was in love. Just the thought of seeing you was the only thing that really kept me going every day. At that time, I thought that I had absolutely no chance with you. But now, here I am, about to promise to spend the rest of my life with you. At this exact moment, I believe I can count myself among the happiest men alive," Tsuna said, and he tucked away the small piece of paper in his pocket. Kyoko reached under her veil to brush away a tear. For a second, Haru had a strange look on her face, but she shook it off as she passed Kyoko a piece of paper. Kyoko unfolded it and began to read.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi, when I first saw you, I thought that most of the rumors about you being 'Dame-Tsuna' were pretty close to the truth. You had this far off look in your eyes, and, if I recall correctly, you may have been drooling a little."

There was a little laughter in the aisles.

"I never really paid much attention to you in the beginning, but during what I believed to be you 'randomly-undressing-and-shouting-a lot' stage, I started to realize just how reliable and strong you could be when you wanted to. The rest of the world can call you worthless as much as they want to, but to me, you'll always be _my_ Tsuna," Kyoko said proudly, handing the paper back to Haru. The priest motioned to Tsuna to give the ring to Kyoko. Noticing her cue, Nade stepped forward, holding the diamond ring on a velvety pillow. Tsuna took it from her gratefully and slipped it onto Kyoko's left ring finger.

"By the powers vested in me by the Church, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the…" The priest stopped, noticing that they had started before he had finished saying the word 'kiss'. The guests started to applaud loudly, bombarding the newlyweds with handfuls of rice.

_

* * *

Later… The celebration of the wedding…_

"Attention, attention! Everybody shut up for a second!" Xavier called, tapping his glass of wine with a spoon. The numerous varied conversations that had been taking place a second earlier stopped abruptly.

"I would just like to give a toast to the bride and groom. Tsuna, you've come a long way since we first met, and out of all the people I have tutored in the past, it is without a doubt you that I am most proud of. Congratulations, you two," He said, raising his glass. The rest of the people seated at the table raised their glasses in response. When the toast was over, Ryohei abruptly stood up from his seat next to Hana and started walking to the end of the table where Tsuna and Kyoko were sitting.

"Sawada, this is nothing personal," He said, pulling Tsuna to his feet.

"Wha…?" Tsuna started to say, but he could never have predicted what was about to happen.

"EXTREME WELCOME-TO-THE-FAMILY-BROTHER-IN-LAW PUUUUUUNNCH!" Ryohei shouted as his fist connected with Tsuna's jaw. Tsuna was thrown out of his chair by the force of the sudden attack and he collapsed on the floor.

"Wha- what the hell?" He shouted as he rubbed his jaw.

"Family tradition. Mom, you're up," Ryohei said, tagging Hanabi, who menacingly cracked her knuckles. It was just for the intimidation factor, however. She pulled back her leg as Tsuna started to back away.

"Oh, _hell _n-"

"EXTREME HURRY-UP-AND-GIVE-ME-SOME-GRANDKIDS KIIIIIIIICK!" And Tsuna was flattened against the wall. Toumaru walked up to him and gave him a light punch in the arm.

"Sorry-about-them-they're-a-bit-odd punch," He said, pulling Tsuna to his feet, "You think _that's _bad, you should have seen our wedding day. I still have bruises from that." Toumaru shuddered.

"Was that really necessary?" Iemitsu asked, rubbing his temples. Since everybody was all wound up, Takeshi stood up to make an announcement.

"'Scuse me, everyone. I'll just take a second of your time, if you don't mind. I just wanted to congratulate Tsuna and Kyoko on finally tying the knot. God knows it took Tsuna forever to get down on one knee. Well, if my ten-years younger self could see this right now, I doubt he'd believe that Tsuna, _the _Tsuna, would be together with a woman like her. Cheers, you two," He said, downing his wine.

'_Together with a woman like her… you're the one dating a supermodel,_' Tsuna thought to himself, glancing at Takeshi's latest girlfriend, a gorgeous Russian woman whose name nobody could pronounce. Takeshi was a little bit of a Casanova, and many people doubted he'd ever think about settling down.

"That goes double for me, Ser Vongola," Lambo said, raising his neighbor's wine glass (he hadn't been given one). I-Pin, on his other side, took it from him before he could empty the glass.

"Underage, dummy," She said.

"Aw, c'mon…" Lambo moaned, reaching across her to grab at it.

"Ah! Give me that, byon!" Ken, whose wine it was that had been stolen, said. Nagi tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to where Ken's glass had been. It stood there again, untouched. Ken looked at I-Pin's hands again to see that they were empty.

"Clever," He said, a small grin on his face. Nagi smiled, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. Ken turned red very quickly. Bets were still on as to when Ken would finally propose to her.

"Okay then, since everybody else is doing it, I guess I better take a shot," Gokudera said, standing up. He cleared his throat, preparing to speak.

"Last night, I had a very, very weird dream. I don't exactly remember the details about it, but I think it involved go-karts, some guy in a beetle, and some other dumb crap, but there was one thing that stuck with me. Even in that weird, creepy alternate universe, the Deci – Tsuna, I mean, still had feelings for the _same exact_ woman. Even though in that dream, I think she was a florist or something. It didn't make much sense. So, best of luck to the two of you, I wish you many happy years together, and cheers, everybody," Gokudera said, raising his glass in Tsuna's direction. Many others followed suit.

"My turn, desu!" Haru announced, slowly standing. Gokudera helped her up, to relieve the stress on the baby. Haru cleared her throat.

"I just wanted to say one thing before the party gets unavoidably called on account of a major interruption. Congratulations, Tsuna-san, Kyoko-chan. I wish you lots of luck, and call dibs on godmother. Now then, I'm really sorry about this, but…" Haru was silent for a moment. In that moment of absolute silence, there was only one sound, and it was coming from Haru.

Turns out, Haru was right. A second after she said her next few words, the celebration was abruptly cancelled for the foreseeable future, and the newlyweds simultaneously decided that the weather at the private five-star resort in the Bahamas that they had reservations at probably wasn't that good this time of year, anyway. They could go on their honeymoon later. Because the sound they heard was kind of hard to ignore, given Haru's circumstances.

Dripping.

"…But while you were exchanging vows… my water broke."

_

* * *

Fin_

*Also because I don't feel like looking it up. On another note, I know absolutely nothing about childbirth.

…What? You didn't seriously think I'd just leave it at that, did you?

Well, maybe I was _going_ to, but I changed my mind. You're welcome.

Two things I'd like to point out about this chapter: Nadeshiko Sawada and Viva Vongola. Nadeshiko comes from the Japanese term 'Yamato Nadeshiko', which is basically the perfect woman. Look it up for more info, but don't think that that's what she is. Viva, however, is Italian for 'life', which I found to be fitting, given her father's former title.

I'd like to say a few thanks before I wrap this thing up: First, thanks to you, dear fans, for sticking around despite the several months between chapters at times. I'd like to thank the Academy… no, not really. I'd also like to thank my friends at the Anti-Cliché and Mary Sue Elimination Society, for no reason other than to shamelessly promote them. Anyhoo.

I really enjoyed writing this story. I mean it. It is currently the longest thing I have ever written, and I'm certain that the fans loved it. Of course, if you _really _loved this fanfic, you'd do something like, say, makeaTVTropespageforit.

*grins*

…Or review like there's no tomorrow. Your choice.

But seriously, I WANTS MAH TVTROPES PAGE. I'd make it myself, but that would just seem egotistical. And you should review anyway.

Also, can anybody guess why I chose today to publish this?

*points up*

Now, for the final time in this fanfiction…

_**REVIEW!**_


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